An Abuja based lawyer, Jacob Solomon Agada has petitioned the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Bala Abubakar over alleged unlawful arrest, detention and torture of his client’s workers in Abuja by some Air Force personnel over a land dispute, in respect of which a suit is currently pending before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The land dispute is said to be between one Sheik Jibril Ibrahim and Stats Global Homes Ltd on one side and Alhaji Manir Lawal and three others on the other side, with the suit now pending before Justice Othman Musa of High Court No 7 of the FCT.
Agada said despite the pendency of the suit, marked FCTHC/CV/3844/2024, a group of Air Force personnel led by the Provost, Nigeria Air Force Camp, Mogadishu Barrack, Asokoro, Abuja, Flight Lieutenant Hussein Habib Denja, unlawfully dabbled into the property dispute with invasion and forceful abduction of workers of his client, Stats Global Homes Ltd, the 2nd plaintiff in the suit.
In the petition received by the office of the Chief of Air Staff on July 25, the said Flight Lieutenant Hussein was alleged to have taken sides with Alhaji Manir Lawal with the arrest of his clients’ workers twice and taken them to unlawful custody.
Agada alleged that the said Provost engaged in gross abuse of office on July 22, when he led a team of armed Air Force personnel and several young Airforce officers and invaded the premises of his Client’s property purportedly acting on the prompting of Alhaji Manir Lawal, the Ist Defendant in the pending court case.
The lawyer claimed that without any lawful justification or judicial backing, the said military personnel forcefully invaded his client’s property at plot 1317 and 1328, Extension I11 B Layout, Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, FCT-Abuja, arrested three staff members and bundled them to the Air Force facility at Mogadishu Barracks for unlawful detention.
He said while efforts were being made to secure the release of the three workers, the same Flight Lieutenant Hussein Habib Denja in company of one Flight Lieutenant A. A. Abdulahi., a regular officer in Charge of Regiment Personnel, came back with additional troops and forcefully abducted two other unarmed workers and brutally assaulted them.
Agada claimed that the last two abducted workers, Omeje Usman Eneojo and one Sunday are currently on admission at Kubwa General Hospital, where they are receiving treatment for severe injuries inflicted on them during the unlawful assault.
He pleaded photographic evidence of attacks against the workers and their medical reports to establish the case of unprofessional conduct against the Air Force personnel.
The lawyer therefore demanded a full scale probe into the alleged unprofessional conduct of the personnel with a view to fish them out for sanctions.
He also demanded a sum of N300 million compensation for the victims of the unlawful arrest and detention as well as public apologies.
The lawyer threatened to take legal action against NAF should it refuse to meet the demands of the victims within 7 days of receipt of the petition.
The petition obtained by our correspondent read in part “We are Solicitors to Stats Global Homes Limited, the 2nd Claimant in the above mentioned suit, and beneficial owner of Plots 1317 and 1328, Extension I11 B Layout, Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, FCT-Abuja, hereinafter referred to as “our client.”
“We write upon our Client’s instructions and in utmost concern over a disturbing and unlawful incident that occurred on the 22nd day of July, 2025.
“On the said date, a certain Flight Lieutenant Hussein Habib Denja, a Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) – Officer In Charge of the Provost Squadron (OC Provost) 053 HQ NAF Camp, Asokoro, Abuja and one Flight Lieutenant A. A Abdullahi a Regular Officer from NDA. The Officer In Charge of Regiment Personnel (OC Regiment) 053 HQ NAF Camp Abuja, led a team of armed Nigerian Air Force personnel and several young Airforce personnel to the premises of our Client, purportedly acting on the prompting of Alhaji Manir Lawal, the Ist Defendant in the above-referenced suit, which is currently pending before Court No. 7 of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
“Without any lawful justification or judicial backing, the said military personnel forcefully invaded our client’s property and arrested three staff members, who were subsequently taken to the Air Force facility at Mogadishu Barracks.
“Disturbingly, the same Flight Lieutenant Hussein Habib Denja in company of one Flight Lieutenant A. A. Abdulahi, a regular officer in Charge of Regiment Personnel (O. C. Regiment) 053 HQ NAF Camp, Asokoro, Abuja later mobilized additional troops, returned to a building adjacent to our client’s property and abducted two other unarmed members after
brutal assault and taken them away.
“The names of the victims are Omeje Usman Eneojo and one Sunday and are currently on admission at Kubwa General Hospital, where they are receiving treatment for severe injuries sustained in the unlawful assault.
“Photographic evidence and medical reports will be tendered during trial.
“This act of flagrant abuse of military power, carried out under the leadership of the personnel does not only undermine the sanctity of the judiciary and its processes but also violates the constitutional rights of our client’s staff to dignity of persons and protection from unlawful arrest and torture.
“We hereby state unequivocally that the Nigerian Air Force has no legal mandate to intervene in civil land matters;
“That the actions of the named officers, leading other personnel constitute contempt of court and a reckless attempt to use state apparatus to favor one party in an ongoing suit.
“That this conduct erodes public trust in the neutrality and professionalism of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“In view of the above, we respectfully demand the following:
“An immediate comprehensive investigation into the actions of Provost H.E. Hussein and all military personnel involved in the illegal operation of 22nd July 2025;
“Administrative sanctions and disciplinary measures against all identified officers;
“A formal apology from the Nigerian Air Force to our Client and the affected staff;
“Full compensation for the physical, emotional, and psychological trauma suffered by the victims valued in the sum of Three Hundred Million Naira only (N300M)
“Please take notice that failure of NAF to act within seven days of your receipt of this letter will leave us with no option but to proceed with legal action before the competent Court of law and petition the National Human Rights Commission and the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) without further notice.
Although Justice Othman Musa has slated suit in respect of the property for hearing, efforts to get reactions of the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame to the alleged unlawful invasion, arrest and detention of the victims were unsuccessful.
The NAF spokesperson did not respond to several calls and messages put through her cell phone.
The Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf had assigned the case on the disputed property to Justice Othman Musa for determination before the alleged unlawful involvement of the NAF personnel in the land dispute between civilians.
The Federal Government has constituted a 10-member independent committee to investigate the deaths of 37 people detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State over suspected illegal mining.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the constitution of the committee on Saturday, following a directive by President Bola Tinubu for a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
The 37 detainees died on Thursday, September 17, 2026, while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command.
The cause of the deaths has not been established, with authorities ordering investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a statement signed by the minister, the government said the committee would establish the identities of the deceased and investigate their arrests, detention and the cause and circumstances of their deaths.
It would also determine responsibility, complicity, negligence and misconduct, as well as recommend appropriate action, compensation where applicable and measures to prevent a recurrence.
“Any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation will be treated as a serious offence,” he said.
The committee is chaired by retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, while Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma (SAN), former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, will serve as secretary.
Other members include retired AIG Hosea Hassan Karma; Professor Olayinka Buhari, a professor of Histopathology and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; a representative of the Minna Emirate Council; and a representative of the Niger State Government.
The committee also includes Alhaji Liman Sulaiman, National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria; lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju; Mrs Zainab Suleiman Okino of Blueprint Newspaper; and public affairs analyst, Dr George Agbakahi.
According to the statement, the committee may co-opt relevant experts, access facilities and documents, visit relevant locations and request memoranda from members of the public.
It has two weeks to complete its work and submit its report to the minister.
The minister also expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and appealed for calm while the investigation continues.
The witness of the Department of State Service, DSS in the ongoing trial of five alleged Ansaru terror group members on Friday, September 18 told the Federal High Court in Abuja that their abductors fed them only when it was convenient for them.
The witness code named AAA who was one of the victims of Orire school abduction said they were seriously traumatised during and after their ordeal that lasted 56 days.
Under cross examination by the counsel to the five accused persons Mr Bala Dakum, the witness said they were offered food by the abductors at their own convenient time despite the presence of little children of 18 months among them.
She admitted that the alleged kidnappers used the mobile phone of the victims to contact government officials but said she did not know the phone number of the government officials that were called.
She further told the court that upon their rescue by security operatives, she was interrogated by DSS operatives in their office and also while in the hospital.
Answering a question, the witness admitted that the three out of the five defendants on trial were with them in the forest while she got to know the other two during interrogation at the DSS office.
She also told the court that Michael Oyedokun and John Olaleye were killed at camp A and Camp B respectively but that she was not present at the scene where they were beheaded.
The witness further told the court that because she was not at the scene where the two teachers were beheaded, she did not know the specific kidnappers that carried out the killing.
group of protesters on Friday took to the streets in Oyo State to demonstrate against the Iru Ekun Security Network, a private security outfit associated with Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
The protesters, who carried placards, accused the security outfit of allegedly discriminating against people from some ethnic groups and called for equal treatment of all residents irrespective of their tribe or background.
Some of the placards displayed during the protest read: “Say No To Iru Ekun, Crime Knows No Tribe,” “A Criminal Is A Criminal. One Nation, One People, One Nigeria,” and “Our Diversity Is Our Strength.”
The demonstration comes amid growing public debate and criticism surrounding the activities and methods of the Iru Ekun Security Network, particularly concerns over the role of privately organised security groups and their relationship with formal law-enforcement agencies.
The latest controversy followed an incident in Oyo State in which Iru Ekun operatives were accused of obstructing police officers who were attempting to arrest a suspect in Ibadan.
A rights group, Vocalpoint Human Rights Initiative (VOHRI), on Wednesday warned against allowing Iru Ekun or any other private group to operate as a parallel law-enforcement institution.
The group said no individual or organisation should be allowed to determine who should be arrested or punished without lawful authority and due process.
The criticism also comes after reports of confrontations involving Iru Ekun operatives during security operations in Oyo State.
In June, members of the group reportedly came under attack during a surveillance operation in the Old Oyo National Park while searching for suspected kidnappers and armed criminals. Igboho subsequently vowed that the group would continue its anti-kidnapping operations in the South-West.
Iru Ekun was established by Igboho as a community security initiative aimed at tackling kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities across parts of the South-West.
At the launch of the Lagos chapter earlier this month, Igboho directed members of the network operating in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti states to intensify efforts against criminality.
According to reports, Igboho said the group would confront anyone threatening peace and security regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation and urged its members to operate within the law.
However, critics have continued to question the structure, accountability and methods of the privately organised security network, particularly given the existence of established state security structures such as the police and Amotekun.
A recent commentary published by Nigerian Tribune also raised concerns about the regulation and oversight of Iru Ekun, while discussing Igboho’s growing involvement in regional security matters.
The protesters’ demonstration on Friday adds a new dimension to the debate, with the placards emphasising ethnic inclusiveness and warning against treating crime through a tribal lens.
The protesters called for security operations to be conducted without discrimination, insisting that criminality should be addressed based on individual conduct rather than ethnic identity.
