Court to deliver judgment in ex-Army General’s suit against Lagos Govt. Oct. 14

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, fixed Oct. 14 to deliver judgment in an N8.1 billion suit filed against the Lagos Government by Maj.-Gen.AbdulRauf Tijjani
(rtd).

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date for judgment shortly after parties adopted their written addresses and processes as their arguments in the matter.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tijjani had dragged the Lagos Government, National Judicial Council (NJC), the Federal High Court and other respondents to court challenging the alleged injustice perpetrated against him by officials of the state government and a serving judge of the Federal High Court.

Other respondents include the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Justice A. O. Faji of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court; former Lagos Attorney General, Abdulraheem Ade Ipaye; a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Kasheem Adeniji and the state governor.

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

The retired General urged the court to intervene in the matter because a judgment entered in his favour had been criminally sabotaged allegedly by the Lagos authorities in connivance with a sitting Federal High Court judge.

Tijjani, although not a lawyer, argued his case himself and prayed the court to look into the justice of his case, adding that what was before him was criminal in nature and not ordinary misconduct of a judge.

He urged the court to assume jurisdiction in the case because both the leadership of the NJC and the Federal High Court are based in Abuja.
However respondents in the suit, except the 3rd (NBA) and the 6th (Adeniji SAN), all urged the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit and being largely defective.

Although, Dr Christopher Eichie had announced appearance for the NBA, he, however, informed the court that his client filed nothing as it was not in anyway involved in the allegations made by the plaintiff.

The 6th respondent had not been in court nor represented by a counsel since the beginning of the hearing on July 10 despite the alleged service of court processes.

However in their individual responses, Mr Usman Suleiman, SAN; Mr Innocent Da’agba; Mr Muyiwa Akingboro, SAN, and Mr Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, counsel to 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th respondents respectively urged the court to dismiss the suit for being vague, contrary to the rules of fundamental rights suit and for lack of jurisdiction.
Justice Ekwo, after listening to the submissions of all counsel to parties in the matter, fixed the judgment for Oct. 14.

The plaintiff had, in the fundamental human rights suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/690/2020, prayed the court to order Lagos 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.