A security expert seeks damages of N200 million from the police.

 The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Aderemi Adeoye, has been taken to court and is being asked to pay N200 million in damages. 

The plaintiff, Ozo Jeff Nweke, who operates a private security outfit called Blue Shield Company Limited in Awka, filed a suit (No. A/390/2023) in an Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka judicial division.

 In this legal action, he named the Police Service Commission (PSC) as the 2nd defendant and accused CP Adeoye of labeling him and his security company as criminals and land grabbers.

In the statement of claims submitted to the court, Ozo Nweke traced his troubles with CP Adeoye back to a dispute between the people of his Ezinano community in Awka, Awka-South local government area, and their neighbors in Enugwu-Agidi community over an estate known as Four Ways Court Estate (originally Agunogu land).

Nweke asserted that his private security outfit was hired by the people of Ezinano to provide security in the disputed land, which is currently the subject of a legal dispute pending in the Supreme Court between Ezinano and Enugwu-Agidi.

 However, he alleged that CP Adeoye suddenly developed a vested interest in favor of the Enugwu-Agidi people. Adeoye then deployed a team of operatives from the state police command who attacked the operatives of Nweke's security company at the disputed land.

Nweke further alleged that on September 27, 2023, operatives of the state police command arrested some of his private security personnel deployed at the disputed land, detaining them at the state criminal investigation department (SCID) before releasing them.

 The situation worsened for Nweke and his security company when CP Adeoye later published in the media, labeling him as a criminal and land grabber who deploys his security company to terrorize people, seize land, and even kill individuals.

Despite Nweke's security outfit being duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and providing legitimate security services to society, he claimed that after CP Adeoye's disparaging public statement, people began avoiding the company, leading to its closure.

 In addition to the N200 million in damages sought from the court, Ozo Nweke is urging the court to compel CP Adeoye to publish apologies in two national dailies.

Request a court order for the state police boss to issue public apologies to him in two national newspapers.