1 week ago
23
A United Kingdom-based Nigerian, Aliyu Kazim, has expressed deep concerns over his safety following years of legal battles over his property in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Despite securing multiple court victories, Kazim alleges that he continues to face harassment, wrongful arrests, and threats to his life.
The dispute stems from the fraudulent sale of his property, located at No. 10, Catchment Road, GRA, Ilorin, which he claims was illegally sold by his lawyer, Barrister Deji Gbadeyan, in 2011 without his consent.
The property was allegedly purchased by a senior police officer and the wife of a military officer, Mrs. Adejoke Eyitayo, for ₦20 million, without proper legal documentation.
Upon discovering the illegal sale, Kazim took legal action, and in 2019, the Kwara State High Court ruled in his favour. Justice S.M. Akanbi declared the sale invalid, recognised Kazim as the rightful owner, and ordered Mrs. Eyitayo to vacate the premises.
Following the court’s judgment, Kazim took legal processes of executing the court judgement to reclaim his property. However, shortly after, he was accused of burglary and theft, including the alleged stealing of firearms, money, and military uniforms. This led to his arrest and detention at the Inspector General’s Quarters in Ilorin, where he claims he was denied a fair hearing before being transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Lagos. A subsequent investigation reportedly cleared him of all allegations.
Despite this, Kazim says he faced another intimidation and harassment. According to him, he was re-arrested upon arriving in Nigeria at the Murtala Mohammed International AirPort Lagos by a team of Six Police officers allegedly led by Mrs Eyitayo. He was detained in Ilorin before securing a court order protecting him from further harassment. His complaints to authorities in Abuja led to an independent investigation, which confirmed that the allegations against him were false. Authorities reportedly assured him that disciplinary action would be taken against those involved in his wrongful arrests.
Kazim claims that despite having a court judgment in his favour, he has not been able to repossess his property. Although the court executed the judgment and handed him the keys, he was met with a heavy presence of security forces—including army officers and police—when he attempted to enter the premises.
“For my safety, I had to leave Nigeria and could not return till date over fear that I might be killed. Despite obtaining a judgment from the appellate court in my favour, all efforts to execute the court judgment prove abortive. Even the court bailiffs are afraid to go there because of the security forces stationed at the property whenever enforcement is attempted,” he lamented.
“I am based in the UK, but when I eventually traveled to Nigeria, I discovered that my house had been sold. I took the case to court, and at the High Court, I won. A judgment was given in my favour, and a possession order was issued, allowing me to reclaim my house.
“This happened in 2019, but the case itself began in 2011. I did not travel to Nigeria until 2016, when I started actively pursuing the case. Each time a hearing took place, I had to travel from London to Nigeria.
“To cut a long story short, after the attempted execution of the court order, I was arrested. I was accused of burglarizing the house, even though I was not present when the repossession took place. The woman who had taken possession of the house falsely accused me of stealing various items, including a pistol, a pump-action gun, military uniforms, and money.
“I was arrested and taken to the then-Inspector General’s quarters in Ilorin. He did not listen to my side of the story, nor did he review any documentation. He simply ordered that I be sent to the CID division, where I was detained.
“I had to hire solicitors to intervene. The case was transferred to the FCID in Lagos, where a thorough investigation was conducted. The investigation confirmed that no money, weapons, or other items were stolen from the house and that the accusations against me were fabricated.
“Despite this, the woman took the case to the Court of Appeal to challenge the High Court’s ruling. Meanwhile, she had already prevented us from taking possession in our attempted execution of judgement, the police forcefully drove us away and removed us from the house and its premises.
“On another occasion, when I traveled to Nigeria, I was arrested at the airport, taken back to Ilorin, and detained. In response, I filed a fundamental human rights case, which led to a court order staying the execution of the eviction and ordering my release, as well as protection from further harassment until the case was heard.
“Eventually, I was released. I then went to Abuja to lodge a formal complaint. I hired another solicitor to escalate my case, and after a thorough investigation, the authorities confirmed that my claims were true. The Court of Appeal and the High Court verified that the accusations against me were fabricated. The authorities also acknowledged that the woman had overstepped her legal boundaries and stated that disciplinary action would be taken against her.
“Another eviction to execute the judgement of the appellate court and repossess my property is scheduled to take place soon, and I fear that this woman and her husband might attack me and my family. I am also afraid to travel to Nigeria due to the constant threats and harassment to my life.
Even the court bailiff are afraid to go there. Everyone is afraid because of the heavy presence of security forces there anytime they plan to execute the court judgement. I am helpless and this is why I am crying out to the world. The Nigerian Attorney and Minister for Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, should help me.
“I want the nation and the world to know what is happening. Cases like mine discourage Nigerians abroad from returning home.
“I own a 40-hectare farm in Nigeria with gainful employment to our youths, but I am unable to manage it properly because of these ongoing threats. Whenever I do visit Nigeria, I have to hire civil defense officers to protect me at all times because I do not trust this woman or her husband,” Kazim lamented.
Kazim is now calling on the Nigerian government and the international community to intervene, ensuring that court rulings are respected and that Nigerians in the diaspora can return home without fear of persecution.
A report from the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigerian Police, obtained by Sahara Reporters on Monday, corroborates Kazim’s claims.
The report, signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Omole Ola, confirmed that Barrister Gbadeyan fraudulently sold the property without Kazim’s authorization and converted the proceeds for personal use.
The report also noted that Mrs. Eyitayo illegally occupied the property and later made unsubstantiated claims that her husband’s firearms and military items were stolen during her eviction.
The police concluded that both Gbadeyan and Eyitayo could be prosecuted under Sections 81 of the Criminal Code and 342 of the Penal Code for forcible entry and fraud. Authorities have warned that any further resistance to the court ruling could lead to contempt of court charges.
English (US) ·