Authority of Nigeria Police Force has kept mum over the order of an Ogun State High Court sitting in Igbesa area of the State to the effect that the Assistant Inspector General of Police in Zone II and one Superintendent Tijani Taofiq be arrested for disobeying an order of the Court.

Justice Olugbenga Ogunfowora of the State High Court has ordered the duo’s arrest and detention for disobeying the order of the Court in a suit involving a Chinese national, Chen Zheng, who is the interpreter and Sales Manager of Hand in Hand Industry Nigeria Limited.

When contacted on when the arrest order would be effected, the Force Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi said he was not aware of the case and that the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Hauwa Idris Adamu, should be contacted to speak on the matter.

When contacted, the Zonal PPRO also said she would find out about the case, adding that the Superintendent of Police works in Ogun State and that she will liaise with Ogun State Commissioner of Police on the case.

She however kept mum on the ordered arrest of the AIG under whom she serves.

HorizonTimes also contacted the Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi who also said the police officer was no more in Ogun State and that he had been redeployed back to Lagos.

“He was once in Lagos before he was transferred to Ogun State, but as I speak with you, Supo Tijani has been redeployed back to Lagos, he’s no more in Ogun State, you can contact the zonal PPRO,” he said.

When HorizonTimes reached out, again to the ZPPRO, he informed that she was not aware of the development and that she will find out his status and revert.

According to her, it is possible that he might have been redeployed to Lagos but not yet documented as at the time she was speaking with Independent.

The Police officers had disobeyed the court order to pay N500,000 as damages and also pay N50,000 in favour of the Chinese national who was arrested and detained for alleged criminal offence and later held his international passport. 

Justice Ogunfowora had ordered that the top officers be detained at the Ibara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta until the property of the Chinese man is returned back to him.

The Judge had ordered the release of the applicant's international passport with No.EB4555829 since June 9th, 2020.

The Judge said that the refusal to release the passport and also pay the fine as ordered by the court was a contempt which is punishable under the Nigeria Constitution.

In his final judgement, Justice Ogunfowora ordered that the officers be kept in custody until the international passport is released.

Speaking with journalists after the judgement, the counsel to the applicant, Seun Akinbiyi, SAN, commended the court for its upright pronouncement.

Akinbiyi added that such judgement will make people believe in the judicial system as the last hope of the common man.

"The summary of the antecedent is that, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 as well as on Superintendent of Police, Tijani Taofiq, who is now in Eleweran, Abeokuta have been convicted to prison by virtue of the order of the court because they did not carry out the order of the Court.

"It is very significant that this is being done for the courage of the court, his lordship, and it is good for the sanctity of the court. We are very happy for that.

"It is also important for the sake of our client whose international passport has been detained for almost 3 years. At least, I believe that with that alone, the court has decided that they are imprisoned until the international passport is released."

The Senior Advocate added that his chamber will see to the implementation of the judgement to the core.

"By the grace of God, we are going to see it that the order is carried out. That is, the imprisonment of the AIG and the Superintendent. We will see it to the end."

The Chinese national, however, expressed his worry over the case which has dragged for over 2 years, adding that that he won the case was appreciated. 

Zheng said, "I just want to say I win the case. Superintendent of Police, Tijani Taofiq refused to return my international passport since 2020. I am not happy with it."