Alleged Defamation: Developer Files N500m Suit Against Family Members, Police Officer In Lagos

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A Lagos-based estate developer, Alhaji Samsideen Akanni Sule, has filed a suit before the Ikeja Judicial Division of the Lagos State High Court against two members of the Abolarinwa family and a police officer over alleged defamation and malicious publication.

The suit, filed through his counsel, Dele Babalola, centres on petitions and statements which the claimant described as false and damaging to his reputation and business interests.

Joined in the suit are Alhaja Sherifat Tejumola Abolarinwa, Mr Habeeb Tejumola Abolarinwa and CSP Taofeek Tijani of Zone II Police Command, Onikan, Lagos.

According to court documents, Sule alleged that the defendants authored and circulated a petition dated March 19, 2024, accusing him of involvement in the alleged theft of two trinket boxes said to contain about 950 grams of 24-carat gold reportedly belonging to the late Alhaji Tejumola Abolarinwa.

The claimant told the court that the allegations were false and intended to damage his standing as a businessman and estate developer.

Sule further stated that he was engaged by members of the Abolarinwa family to assist in recovering about 12 plots of land allegedly taken over by land grabbers around the Idimu and Abule-Odu areas of Lagos.

He explained that, based on a Power of Attorney allegedly executed in his favour, he mobilised legal and financial resources, engaged lawyers and pursued petitions to security agencies, which he said eventually led to a judgment restoring nine plots of land to the family.

According to the claimant, he became entitled to two plots of land as compensation for his services and also separately purchased another plot for N2 million.

However, Sule alleged that disagreements later arose between the parties, following which petitions were reportedly submitted against him to several agencies, including the Idimu Police Station, Area ‘M’ Command, Lagos State Police Command, Zone II Police Command, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Lagos State anti-land grabbing office.

He claimed that the petitions led to repeated invitations and questioning by law enforcement agencies, including a trip to Abuja over allegations relating to the Power of Attorney.

The claimant further stated that investigations, according to him, confirmed the authenticity of the document, but that the allegations against him allegedly continued.

Among the reliefs sought is a declaration that the statements made against him were false and defamatory.

He is also seeking N500 million in damages for alleged injury to his reputation, emotional distress and business losses arising from the publications.

The claimant is further asking the court to restrain the defendants from making or circulating further statements which he described as defamatory.

According to the court filings, Sule also alleged that some of the publications were discussed during a radio programme aired on Agidigbo FM in Ibadan.

He maintained that the statements portrayed him negatively and affected his reputation among associates, clients and members of the public.

As of the time of filing this report, no hearing date had been fixed for the matter.

Efforts to obtain comments from the defendants were unsuccessful as of press time.