KOREDE FOGO
…Says Plantiff Already Filled For Out Of Court Settlement
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has alleged that expelled members of the association led by Taiwo Mustapha deceived the Nigeria Police Force with a court injuction obtained in 2019 to invade the association’s secretariat.
In a press briefing by the association’s vice-president, Dr Kayode Farinto and secretary- general, Mukaila Bsbatunde, they said the court had in 2019 vacated the Injunction the Taiwo Mustapha group allegedly used in deceiving the Nigeria Police to seal up the association’s secretariat.
They also disclosed that the plaintiff had expressed readiness for out of court settlement before the invasion of their secretariat on Wednesday, February 16th, 2022.
The group, however, expressed readiness to petition the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba over alleged illegal invasion by some police officers and hoodlums allegedly led by expelled board chairman, Taiwo Mustapha.
Farinto speaking during the briefing stated that the NPF goofed for not carrying out thorough investigation before being used by expelled members to carry out the illegal act on the national secretariat.
On the part of the National Secretary of the association, Babatunde Mukaila, he informed that the attack on the secretariat was carried without bailiff from the court noting that the sealing of the secretariat was illegal.
He informed that the attacked on the secretariat was carried out while some members of the NECOM where at the National Assembly on the invitation of Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Customs & Excise duty, Rep Leke Abejide, to speak on the CBN new policy on e-invoicing.
Mukaila informed that the Police were deceived with a court order obtained in 2019 purportedly trying to unseat the Tony Iju led NECOM.
He, however, said the order was challenged in court after 14 days stating that the case is in court and as such cannot be used as a ground to seal up the secretariat.
Mukaila disclosed that the hoodlums beat up members of staff including corp members in respective department at the ANLCA secretariat.
Explaining further, he said, “We were told they came with three policemen from Festac and multitude of hoodlums who came with daggers and all sort, they broke the padlocks, destroyed the main gate, went to the main entrance, destroy whatever they can destroy and they deflated all the cars tyres, beat up all the people they met including corp members. The end result is what everyone now knows that Taiwo Muatapha led the gang that purportedly took over the secretariat without any warrant.
“And I want to state that there is no court bailiff present at that premises because if court is coming to enforce judgement with the police, the bailiff of the court ought to be there.
“After that, they left and position those three policemen and truck load of soldiers there. On arrival from Abuja, we move straight to the Area Command in Festac but, unfortunately the Area Commander had closed but we met some officers who were able to give us hint about what happened.
“According to the officerd, the court order that was gotten in August 2019 purportedly trying to unseat the Tony Iju NECOM that was challenged after 14 days with the case still in court was the same order Mustapha purportedly presented to the Inspector General as being valid and still in force.
“So the IG ordered the AIG Zone 2, the AIG then ordered the Area Command the Area Command then ordered the DPO to enforce that order, but today we’ve been with the Area Command and the DPO to proof our case that the order is a spent order, so it is not supposed to be in the interest of Police without inviting the other party .
“The interesting truth about the order is that the plaintiff, Obokun freight forwarder told their counsel that they aren’t interested in the case anymore rather they want out of court settlement.
“We have the certified true copy of that proceeding of the court where their lawyers pronounce that they want out of court settlement and that the judge is giving us four weeks to seat together.
“And a man who is not party to the suit led thugs to the secretariat to beat up NYSC members and women with cane.”