Businessman seeks N500m compensation from police for declaring him wanted

A Real Estate Developer, Musa Saliu, has taken the Inspector-General of Police to court, alleging that he was falsely declared a wanted person in connection with a land dispute. Saliu’s lawsuit, filed on Friday, seeks to declare the police publication of his picture and name in the Special Police Gazette bulletin as a violation of his fundamental rights.

The dispute arose after Olorunfemi, a subscriber to one of Saliu’s estate projects, paid N25 million to subscribe to a house being built. However, the work ongoing was stopped after the FCT Department of Development Control demolished the estate. Olorunfemi subsequently invited the police to recover her investment, despite Saliu informing all subscribers that he was working to resolve the issue and restart construction.

Saliu claims that the police’s involvement in the dispute is unwarranted, as it is a civil matter between him and Olorunfemi, and not a criminal case. He alleges that the police’s actions have caused him harm, including the publication of his picture and details as a wanted person in the Police Gazette bulletin.

The real estate developer is seeking N500 million in damages for the violation of his constitutional rights to privacy, dignity, personal liberty, and freedom of movement. He also wants the court to order the police to apologize for their actions and publish the apology in the Special Police Gazette bulletin and two national dailies. Furthermore, he is seeking an order to unfreeze his bank account with Globus Bank, which he claims was done in violation of his fundamental rights.

The court has yet to assign a date for the hearing of the case.