The Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained the Inspector-General of Police and other police officers from arresting or detaining popular on-air personality and comedian, Chinedu Ani, widely known as Nedu Wazobia, in connection with a contractual dispute.
The judge, Deinde Dipeolu, granted the interim order on Tuesday after considering an ex parte application filed by Nedu and five others, who alleged harassment by the police at the instance of their business partners.
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According to a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the order obtained on Wednesday, the Inspector-General of Police, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police at Alagbon, and other officers were barred from summoning or interrogating the applicants over a dispute with the Metropolitan School of Business and Management, Victor Ariyibi-Oke, and Tolulope Ariyibi-Oke.
Also joined in the suit are police officers Ngozi Braide, Stephen Onihane, and Echeng Julius.
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Other applicants are Sarah Williams-Konha, Avalon Okpe, Ada Okpe, Barbara Okwaranobi, and Tokindrumz Pictures and Media Nigeria Ltd.
Ruling
Mr Dipeolu issued an interim injunction restraining the police and their agents from taking further action against the applicants pending the hearing of the substantive motion on notice for the enforcement of their fundamental rights.
However, the judge declined to grant a request compelling the police to “maintain the status quo” on all matters relating to the business transaction.
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The court adjourned the matter until 29 September for mention.
Through his lawyer, J.W. Dong, the applicants argued that the police were being used to intimidate them over what was essentially a civil disagreement.
They told the court that the matter had been investigated for about nine months by the X-Squad at the AIG’s office in Alagbon, Lagos, in 2024, and the report cleared them of criminal liability.
The police legal department also issued an advisory that the dispute was contractual and should be pursued in court.
Despite this, the applicants alleged that the respondents submitted a fresh petition to another police unit led by Mrs Braide, which reopened the matter.
They accused the officers of intimidation, unlawful detention in July, and the seizure of their international passports.
READ ALSO: Police operatives arrested for allegedly assaulting man who refused to offer N1 million bribe
They further alleged that one of the respondents assaulted their former lawyer before they engaged their present lawyer.
They also sought N2 billion in damages against the respondents for alleged infringement of their fundamental rights.
Background
The disagreement arose from a partnership between the applicants and the respondents in early 2024 to raise funds for underprivileged students through an educational charity initiative.
The project included a fundraising gala with a budget of over N83 million. Although the event was held successfully in March 2024, the respondents later demanded a refund of N60 million, which Nedu and his team rejected.
The breakdown in the partnership led to police petitions and repeated summons, which the applicants say amounted to harassment.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the dispute spilt into the public space, with social media influencer Martins ‘VeryDarkMan’ Ortse recently accusing Nedu of fraud over the same project.
Mr Nedu denied the allegations and issued a cease-and-desist notice demanding a retraction, apology, and N500 million in damages for defamation.
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