Lawyer cries out over threat to life, goes underground

One of 'Nigeria's foremost legal practitioners and right activists, Mr Richard Adekanmi Komolafe has cried out over incessant physical attacks and threat to his life and that of his wife and family.

According to the lawyer, his family has come under both physical and spiritual attacks from unknown people as a result of his activism and numerous court cases he had won against some prominent members in the society, thereby putting the life of his wife and children in danger.

The latest of such attacks is the one that happened to his wife shortly after he won a court case against the Nigeria police and a notorious land grabber in Bariga.

In January 2018, Komolafe Adekanmi had filed a matter before a Federal High Court, Lagos, on behalf of one Okesuji Obatoyinbo, Kunle Amosun, Eunice Obasohan and Stephen Ogunleye, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th applicants respectively , against the Inspector General of Police, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, one Patrick Atayero (ACP), Zone 2, Adeniyi Adekunle (DSP), John Faluyi (ASP), Emmanuel Victor (SGT), also of Zone 2, Gbagada police station, Alex Gwarzah and Kayode Aiyetiwa, the 1st to 9th respondents respectively.

In the suit FHC/L/CS/46/2018, Komolafe had accused the respondents of ' arresting,
threatening to arrest, detaining the applicants and violating the applicant's fundamental right over a 12,605 square meters landed property in Ilupeju, Lagos.

According to the Motion on notice filed before the court, the applicants had purchased the property in 1972 but let part of it to one Mrs Ilaka for an event centre. The applicants later decided to develop the land into residential housing units.

Trouble however began when, during construction, some people began to harass workers on the site and threatened them to leave the land as well as asked for huge payment of money.

According to the suit “discreet investigation revealed that the brain behind this is the 9th
respondent.'

The 9th respondent was said to have "turned to the police to achieve his goal by lodging " ill- conceived complaints against the applicants' which led to the arrest of workers on the site and their detention for two nights at the Gbagada police station on the allegation that they were members of a terrorist group in Lagos.

In spite of the intervention of a deputy commissioner of police at the State Command which led to the release of the detained workers, the 8th respondent was said to have ' ran to the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th respondents to use their office to subdue the applicants and their workers.'
This led to further threats, harassment and intimidation from 5th respondent.

Therefore the applicants had urge the court ' to restrain the respondents from further arrest of the applicants and declare that the action of the 9th respondent to use the police harass and arrest the applicants is unlawful and illegal.'

During trial, Komolafe had told the court that he received further threats from the respondents, threatening to deal with him if the judgement should go against them.

In his judgment, Justice (Prof) ChukaObiozor berated the police for its involvement in the issue.

“The police have no business dabbing in a question of land ownership. I have failed to
find criminality in the allegations against the applicants to justify the arrest, threat, harassment and detention of the applicants by the 2nd, 4th to 8th respondents at the behest of the 9th respondent," the judge said.

The court therefore ordered the respondents to stop harassment of the applicants on the
said property." Substantial amounts was also awarded against the respondents.

Shortly after the judgement against the respondents, Komolafe said one evening two men on commercial motorcycle accosted his wife on her way home. They told her to warn her
husband that they would deal with him and his family if he continues to fight against them, that their lives is in danger.

" My wife was coming home one evening when a commercial motorcycle suddenly pulled up by her side. One man came down and suddenly began to verbally abuse her telling her that her husband is stubborn.

The man further told her that if I thought could continue to win cases against them, they will deal with me and my family and told her to warn me to stay away from them. They even mentioned the name of the schools my children attends to let her know they have been monitoring our movement. The two men later sped off on the motorcycle. As a result of the threat, we had to relocate our children to different schools. My wife and children had to also travel abroad for a week to douse the tension, escape further threats and avoid possible kidnapping of the children," Komolafe lamented.

He added the matter was reported at the Mushin police station but the police are yet to fish out the perpetrators.

He further said since the incident occurred, he and his family now lives in palpable fear as
they do not know what could happen next. He has also gone underground but vowed to continue to fight against injustice.

It is recalled some gunmen in 2017 invaded Lagos State Model College , Igbo Nla , Epe ,Lagos , and abducted the principals and some students.

The kidnappers were said to have stormed the school in the early hours when the students were at the morning assembly.

The gunmen abducted the principal of the junior secondary school, Mr .Oyesola and Mr Akirinmade who is the Principal of the senior secondary school. They also abducted some of the students.