Court stops police from arresting Nedu over N83m contract war

The Federal High Court in Lagos has stopped the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and his men from arresting popular on-air personality, Nedu Wazobia, in connection with an N83 million contract dispute.

Justice Deinde Dipeolu gave the interim order after listening to an ex parte motion filed by Nedu and five others who accused the police of harassment at the instance of their business partners.

The court barred the IGP, the AIG at Alagbon, and top officers including Ngozi Braide, Stephen Onihane, and Echeng Julius from summoning or interrogating the applicants over what it described as a purely civil matter.

Other applicants in the suit are Sarah Williams-Konha, Avalon Okpe, Ada Okpe, Barbara Okwaranobi, and Tokindrumz Pictures and Media Ltd.

Nedu’s legal team argued that the police had been dragged into a business quarrel despite earlier investigations by the X-Squad clearing them of any crime. The police legal department had also advised that the case should be settled in court, not by force.

The dispute started in 2024 after Nedu’s team partnered with Tolulope Ariyibi-Oke under the Metropolitan School of Business and Management to stage an educational fundraising gala worth over N83 million. The event held in March 2024, but trouble began when the partners demanded a refund of N60 million, which Nedu’s group rejected.

The case has been adjourned till September 29.

Meanwhile, the matter spilled into the public after controversial activist VeryDarkMan accused Nedu of fraud over the deal. But the OAP fired back, denying the allegation and issuing a N500 million defamation suit, insisting he won’t be blackmailed.