Ex Army General Sues Lagos State over Alleged Unlawful Seizure of Property

• Seeks N8.1bn compensation
  …asks for removal of Federal High Court judge over alleged bias

A former General of the Nigerian Army, Alhaji Abdul Rauf Tijjani has dragged the Lagos State Government and seven others before a Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the alleged injustice perpetrated against him by officials of Lagos State.

The plaintiff is specifically challenging the alleged sabotage of the execution of a court judgment which returned his landed property in Lagos State to him.

In the fundamental human rights suit instituted in Abuja, the former army general prayed Justice Inyang Ekwo to order Lagos State Government and the Governor to pay him a cumulative compensation of N8 billion as damages for alleged injustice suffered in the hands of Lagos officials.

In the suit with number FHC/ABJ/CS/690/2020, the plaintiff is also asking the judge to compel the National Judicial Council (NJC) to pay another sum of N1 million for alleged misconduct of a Federal High Court judge, Justice A. O. Faji during the hearing of his matter.

In addition, the plaintiff also asked the court for an order for the trail of Justice Faji for allegedly perverting the course of justice in his case.

Besides, Alhaji Tijjani is praying the court to compel the Chief Justice of Nigeria to remove the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN on Mr Kasheem Adeniji and further de-bar him for alleged act of misconduct.

In a 19 paragraph affidavit in support of the suit, the plaintiff averred that a former Attorney General of Lagos State, Abdulraheem Ade Ipaye now Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, allegedly coveted his landed properties in Shasha-Akonwonjo Area in Alimosho LG of Lagos State in his personal gain.

He said as a result plaintiff claimed he approached the court and got judgment in his favour on January 31, 2014.

He however said that the judgment could not be executed because of the alleged sabotage on the part of the part of Lagos State officials.

The plaintiff claimed that his case got worse when his personal lawyer, Mr Kasheem Adeniji SAN was appointed Attorney General of Lagos State and subsequently an interested party in the matter.

Plaintiff further averred that following the appointment of Adeniji as Lagos AG he disengaged with his law firm, adding that the AG turned against him by frustrating his case.

When the matter was mentioned on Tuesday, Justice Ekwo fixed July 13 for hearing and order service of the processes on all the respondents.

The respondents are the NJC, Federal High Court, Nigerian Bar Association, Justice Faji, Kasheem Adeniji SAN, Attorney General of the Federation, Lagos State Government and the Governor of Lagos.