Nigerian Police to pay N6m to a farmer

[Richard Akindele]

A Port Harcourt High Court presided over by Justice J.M. Kobain has ruled that the Nigerian Police should pay N6m to a farmer and business man, Mr. Kennedy Uzuegbunam for trespassing into his land as well as malicious damage to his fence near Mobile Barracks, G.R.A, Phase 4 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Delivering his Judgment on the matter, Justice Kobani, said that in the spirit of fair hearing that he gave all the chances to the Nigerian Police to come to court and defend themselves, but that to his greatest surprise the police failed to do so.

According to the Judge, the court considered the only appearance made by the police through a senior state counsel to put up a preliminary objection as diversionary.

The Judge ruled that the court has established that the farmer is the actual owner of the said land, which he bought through the native authority, the seal of authority as well as the inability of the police to appear before the court.

He ordered that the Nigerian Police should pay to the plaintiff N4m, being the cost of his damaged fence and another N2m as the cost of general damages to his property, which is about three acres of land at the G.R.A phase 4 in Port Harcourt.

The Judge further declared the action of the police as null and void as well as illegality.

It will be recalled that Mr. Kennedy Uzuegbunam bought the land from Rumukalabo Community, but one Mr. Charles Ezeala (CSP), a former Commander of Mobile Police, Rivers State was alleged to have ordered his men to demolish the fence of the land, which Mr. Uzuegbunam erected at the cost of N4m. A mobile barracks was subsequently built on the said land.

Many summons and orders given by the court to the police to appear to defend themselves proved abortive.

Speaking to newsmen on the development, the seller of the land, Elder Loveday Kalagbor said there is no dispute in the land when he sold it to Uzuegbuam and wondered why the police should enter into his land without any permission. He further described Justice Kobani's ruling as a victory for the common man.

Commenting on the ruling, counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Willis Arubamen said that he is satisfied with the ruling, stressing that at last, justice has been obtained at the end of the day.

Arubamen averred that at the end of the day, that the police and other government agencies involved will obey the court ruling.

Source: This Day.