By Mariam Abeeb
The Civil Society Organizations known as Civil Right Advocacy has urged on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen have been urged to intervene into the land dispute between OLUSCO Group and the Performing Musician Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) before it degenerated into full blown crisis.
In the early ours of the day, hundreds of protesters stormed the disputed site calling other concerned Nigeria leaders to direct the Inspector General of Police to direct his men to vacate the site they occupy illegally.
The protesters with placard inscriptions, “This is democracy, this is not Banana Republic, police must respect court orders; When there is a court order, party must respect the law, Police should obey court order now; Police is a product of law, Police cannot be above the law; Police must obey court order now.”
Addressing newsmen, the Executive Director of Civil Right Advocacy, Innocent Ohalete, explained damages the disputed site have caused OLUSCO Group, adding that a staff of the organization was shot recently because of the dispute.
In a petition, which was later submitted to the Police Headquarters in Abuja after the protest, Ohalete urged President Tinubu to compel the inspector General of Police to immediately set up a panel to investigate the shooting and the activities of the Police.
He also urged the President to “use your good office like you done to several defenseless citizens to direct the Inspector General of Police to direct his men to vacate the site they occupy illegally.
“That you use your constitutionally recognized office to direct the Inspector General of Police to immediately commence investigations on the several activities of the IGP Monitoring.
“That you use your good office to seek Justice for Lawal Omaye who was illegally shot and now confined to wheelchair.
“That you use your good office to get Justice for OLUSCO group whose name has been dragged in the mud and the integrity of his corporate identity destroyed.
“We are of firm belief and unshakable confidence that as usual, your good office will get us justice and restore normalcy in what appears to be threatening the peace of the capital city. While thanking you for making the nation proud in the discharge of your duties, please accept the assurances of our commitment to promoting justice, rule of law and orderliness.”
Narrating the genesis of the problem, the Civil Right Advocacy said, “from the petition we received, we gathered that OLUSCO Group has a subsisting legal agreement through a memorandum of understanding entered into with Performing Musician Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) that owns the parcel of land along City gate beside the House on the Rock church which was basically a joint venture agreement that gave OLUSCO group the right over the land.”
The group further explained that trouble started between OLUSCO Group and PMAN when the existing legal agreement was truncated and OLUSCO group was forcefully chased out of the site.
