A petroleum products dealer based in Ibadan, Oyo State, named Opajobi Mohammed Adewale, has prosecuted the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, the Commander of Octopus Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, Rivers State; and Samuel Njoku of Master Energy Company, Port Harcourt, over his alleged harassment in the light of a business transaction.
The businessman said that he faced the ordeal after buying 90,000 litres of kerosene worth N27million from Master Energy Company.
He, therefore, prayed a Federal High Court in Ibadan to grant him an order that his arrest, threat of arrest and detention over a civil disagreement is in violation of Section 34(1) and Section 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
Explaining through his counsels, Oritshuwa Uwawah and Timi Annabel Bozimo, Opajobi alleged that he was being harassed by the Commander of Octopus Unit of the Nigeria Police in Rivers State and the management of Master Energy Company from where he bought the 90,000 litres of kerosene.
In the suit, he stated that he got a call from a friend that he had one million litres of kerosene at Master Energy Company in Rivers State.
According to him, he was given the telephone contact of a lady called Adetokunbo Oludele Adejobi said to be in charge of the consignment.
The plaintiff said that after processing the waybill with another N300,000, he went to a first generation bank to pay the sum of N27million, meant for the purchase of the 90,000 litres of kerosene, into the account of Adetokunbo Oludele Adejobi who later directed one Abubakar to release the waybill to his truck driver.
However, after loading the petroleum products, and as his driver was on his way to Ibadan for delivery, he received a call that the loaded product belonged to another customer.
He, however, received the consignment and later explained that it was impossible for him to return the petroleum product having distributed same to those who earlier paid for it.
For refusing to return the product for which he allegedly made full payment, he claimed that he was detained by CSP Iwuh, the Commander of Octopus Unit of the Nigeria Police, Rivers State, despite his explanation and presentation of waybill which authorised him to load the products.
Despite the fact that he had been granted bail, he alleged that Iwuh continued to threaten to make him produce those whom he sold the kerosene to.
The plaintiff said that he petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the ploy to defraud him of the sum of N27million paid for the product.
