Lukman Olabiyi
Justice Lilian Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the officers of the Nigeria Navy to appear before the court and explain why they failed to arraign one Saibu Ogunmola, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Peace and Love International Hotel, who has been in their custody since January 17, 2019.
The court gave the order while ruling on an application seeking temporary release of the hotelier.
Other respondents affected by the order of the court are the Chief of Naval Staff; the Commander NNS Beecroft, Apapa, Lagos; and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Abuja.
The application which was a motion ex-parte filed by the lawyer to the hotelier, Mc Anthony Aikharialea, asked the court for an order granting the applicant bail forthwith from the respondents’ detention pending the determination of main suit.
It also asked for an order compelling the respondents or any other agency to appear before the court with the applicant to show cause why the applicant should not be arraign for whatever offence alleged against him having gone beyond reasonable time to do so.
The hotelier’s lawyer also informed the court that all efforts made to see his clients were frustrated by the respondents.
According to an affidavit deposed by cousin to the detained hotelier, Sodiq Raji, who averred that he knows Ogunmola very well, being a businessman and native of Ilashe Village in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, Lagos State.
He also averred that the applicant being a businessman does spend most of his time at Snake Island, where his hotel is located, but always in touch with virtually everybody in the village and guides the youth against nefarious acts.
The deponent further stated that at some point, the life of the applicant was threatened seriously by the vandals which caused him to stay away from the village, because the vandals believe that the applicant is a pipelines security agents/informant.
The deponent also stated that on January 16, 2019, he was with the applicant in his hotel at lgbo-Eseyore, Snake Island, Lagos at about 11.30pm, when another cousin of his residing at llashe called him to inform him that some Navy Officers are in the Area (Ilashe) conducting some search and in the process found some ‘Kegs’ containing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). And that the applicant, indeed, advised his cousin, Semiu to make sure he stayed indoors and should not obstruct the Naval officers’ search.
He also stated that at some point in time, the applicant’s cousin called again to inform him that there was a problem resulting from one of the Naval Officers’ attempt to set the recovered Kegs of Premium Motor Spirit Product ablaze and got burnt in the process. And that the hotelier who was restless when he heard about the ongoing accident involving one of the Naval Officers, quickly instructed his cousin to get other persons around to give the Naval officers possible assistance and rescue the officer involved.
The hotelier’s lawyer therefore urged the court to either grant the bail to his client in the most liberal terms or compel the respondents, especially, the DIA or any Other Agency they may want to hand him over to, to produce him in Court forthwith for possible arraignment (if any).
The lawyer also undertook to ensure that reliable sureties were provided if the applicant’s application is granted and ensure that he appears in court whenever the matter comes up until the full determination of the case against him (if any).
Upon hearing the submission of the lawyer, Justice Ojukwu held: “after listening carefully to the argument of the counsel and upon careful consideration of the facts stated in the affidavit, I hereby order the respondents to appear before this court with the applicant, to show cause why he should not be arraign for whatever offence alleges against him having gone beyond time to do that.
“The matter is hereby adjourned till May 3, report of compliance”.