By Lukman Olabiyi
Members of the Ewade Ruling House, Igbooye, Epe, have asked the Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP) Alabi to investigate the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Noforija Police Station, CSP Gregory Ikpehia, for alleged conspiracy with thugs and hoodlums, to avoid a breakdown of law and order in the community.
The request was contained in a letter dated July 14, 2022, titled, “Save Our Soul: Abuse of Office, Criminal Conspiracy and Perversion of Justice by CSP Gregory Ikpehia, DPO of Noforija Police Station, Eredo-Epe, against the Head and Principal Members of Ewade Ruling House, Igbooye-Epe.”
The petition was signed by Head, Ewade Ruling House, Otunba Abdulwasiu Musa-Adebamowo, Principal member and Head, Osekelu branch of Ewade Ruling House, Alhaji Mikhail Quadr, Principal member and Head, Okuyemi branch of Ewade Ruling House, Chief (Mrs) Kikelomo Oladeji, Principal members, Chief Ligali Ayodele Olatunji, Chief Adegbenro Otunowo and the Family Secretary, Abiodun Adekoya.
The representatives of the ruling house said that they decided to file a civil suit against the thugs and hoodlums as required by the rules of the High Court of Lagos State, as a result of which pre-action protocol letters were served on one of the leaders of the thugs, but that the DPO, CSP Ikpehia, dispatched his men to invite them for questioning, on why they wanted to file a civil suit against the suspects.
In their petition, the five-man executive committee said they have been representing the interest of the Ewade Ruling House over time, citing various court judgements and rulings, including representations at various court cases, letter of appointment of the head of the family in 2006, reflecting the name of the head of the family and names of some of the accredited representatives to back their claims.
They alleged that some disgruntled and unknown members of the family (names withheld) constituted themselves into thugs and hoodlums, invaded part of the family land at Abapawa and other related family lands at Legumo, Idotun, Gbojuwara and Talese, in Igbooye, Eredo-Epe, and started disposing of same to their collaborators and other unsuspecting members of the public, thereby, causing pandemonium and commotion in the community.
