19th January, 2025
By Paul Iyoghojie
The Police at the Area ‘A’ Command, Lion Building, Lagos Island, Lagos have arrested a suspected Lagos Island property speculator, Ibrahim Sulaimon, 52, and dragged him before a Lagos Magistrates Court for allegedly maliciously damaging a building belonging to the complainant’, Ganiat Ulum and threatening to kill her.
Police alleged that trouble started for the defendant on 14 January 2025 when he allegedly led others still at large to invade a property under construction located at 119 Broad Street, Lagos Island.
He was said to have demolished structures at the site and chased away all the workers.
Police further alleged that while the commotion was ongoing, the complainant sent a distress call to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP in charge of Area A Command, Lagos Island who swiftly dispatched his men to the scene to arrest the defendant while others managed to escape.
After an investigation by DSP Idowu Olatimehin and his team, the defendant, a resident of 13, Martins Street, Lagos Island was charged before the Igbosere Magistrates’ Court sitting at the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a seven-count charge bordering on malicious damage, burglary, stealing, contempt of Court, conducts likely to cause a breach of peace, assault and threatening workers.
Police prosecuting Counsel, Inspector Olugbenga Salami informed the court in the charge marked A/5/2025 that the defendant and others still at large committed the offence on 14 January 2025 at 119 Broad Street, Lagos Island.
Salami told the Court that the defendant took the law into his own hands by leading others still at large to damage the property belonging to the complainant, chased the workers working at the site away and assaulted court officers, Kabiru Ahmed and Azeez Sherifat who were on lawful duty at the site despite a Court order restraining him.
Salami further told the Court that the defendant also threatened the complainant not to go near the property again or else he would kill her.
He said the offences, the defendant committed were punishable under sections 411, 339, 104,307, 168(d), 56 and 172 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Chief Magistrate, O. Owunmi granted him N2m bail with two sureties in like sum.
Owunmi adjourned the case on 12 February 2025 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility, Lagos pending perfection of the bail conditions.