A businessman and administrator, Mr. Olatunji Ismail, has instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, seeking protection against alleged harassment, intimidation, and threats of unlawful arrest by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Police Monitoring Unit, and six community leaders over a land dispute.
The suit, marked GWD/CV/251/26, was filed through his counsel, N.D. Abdulsalam of Lawgem LP.
Named as respondents are the Inspector-General of Police, ACP Mayamba Magomya Iliya, Head of the Police Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters, Investigating Police Officer Fakorede, High Chief Titilayo Adebayo Alli (Baale of Moraika Town), Chief Segun Ogunkoya,
Chief Oluwole Orekoya , a.k.a Oluwole Olusada, Chief Tajudeen Oshode, Chief Alaba Alowoshile, Chief Akeem Alimi representative of the Obagbuwaja Family of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
According to court documents, the dispute arose from a 2018 agreement under which the 1st to 6th respondents appointed Mr. Ismail and Mr. Alimi Ismail as administrators and attorneys over approximately 247.31 acres of family land located at Moraika Town via Atiba, Ijebu-Ode.
The applicant stated that he financed and prosecuted several legal actions against alleged trespassers over a number of years, eventually securing a judgment affirming the family’s ownership of the land.
As compensation for his services, he said the parties executed a Deed of Grant dated August 27, 2018, under which he was allocated 43.8475 hectares of land, in addition to other parcels he allegedly purchased independently.
Mr. Ismail alleged that after the court judgment was delivered, the respondents reneged on the agreement and began selling portions of the land, including areas he claimed were lawfully allocated or purchased by him.
He further alleged that when he challenged the development, the matter, which had previously been treated by police formations in Lagos and Ogun states as a civil dispute, was escalated to the Police Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
According to the applicant, he subsequently received a letter of invitation dated July 2, 2026, signed by ACP Mayamba Magomya Iliya, inviting him for investigation over allegations of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and fraud, with threats of arrest.
Mr. Ismail also alleged in his court processes that after the respondents were served with the suit, the Investigating Police Officer sent him a WhatsApp message threatening that no court could prevent him from humiliating him, handcuffing him, dragging him on the ground in his community, or arresting him. He further alleged that the officer claimed the Inspector-General of Police was “above the court.”
In the originating motion, the applicant is seeking, among other reliefs, a declaration that the transaction between him and the 1st to 6th respondents is purely civil in nature and contains no criminal element, making the involvement of the Nigeria Police Force an abuse of power and a violation of his constitutional rights.
He is also asking the court to declare that the alleged threats, harassment and intimidation by the respondents violate his constitutional rights to life, dignity of the human person and personal liberty.
In addition, he seeks an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, their agents or privies from further threatening, harassing, arresting or otherwise interfering with his personal liberty pending the determination of the suit.
The applicant maintained that the use of federal security agencies to resolve what he described as a contractual land dispute undermines the rule of law, causes psychological distress and disrupts his lawful business activities.
The matter is yet to be assigned a hearing date.