A High Court sitting in Ogun State has ordered the arrest and detention of an Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos and Superintendent Tijani Taofiq for contempt.
Presiding Judge, Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora, had ordered in a Judgement, No.EB4555829, that the officers returned the properties and pay N500,000 and N50,000 as damages in favour of a case involving a Chinese national, Chen Zheng, which the duo disobeyed.
Zheng who is an Interpreter and Sales Manager of Hand in Hand Industry Nigeria Limited, was arrested by the officers and detained of which his passport was also seized.
At the court on Wednesday, Justice Ogunfowora of the Igbesa High Court on Wednesday ordered that the two officers be detained at the Ibara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta pending the release of the property of the Chinese man national.
Addressing newsmen after the judgement, the counsel for the applicant, Seun Akinbiyi, SAN, said, “The summary of the antecedent is that, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 as well as Superintendent of Police, Tijani Taofiq, who is now in Eleweran, Abeokuta. They 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 about that.
“It is also important for the sake of our client whose international passport has been detained for almost three years. At least, I believe that with that alone, the court has decided that they are imprisoned until the international passport is being released.”
