ABUJA/Nigeria: Mr. Sally Biose, an Abuja property developer, has formally petitioned the Police Service Commission, alleging that officers of the Nigeria Police Force violated his fundamental rights through arrest and harassment despite ongoing civil and criminal proceedings relating to a disputed property.
In a petition dated February 16, 2026, and addressed to PSC Chairman Hashimu Salihu Argungu, Biose accused operatives led by ASP Samuel Ugbanawaji of the IGP Monitoring Unit, Abuja, of meddling in a matter already before competent courts and acting in disregard of established policing directives.
According to the complaint, the developer was arrested in Asaba, Delta State, on February 15, 2026, even though he was not listed as a defendant in any criminal charge connected to the disputed property. His legal team argued that the arrest was carried out without regard for subsisting court proceedings and in violation of standing instructions discouraging police involvement in civil land disputes.
The petition linked the controversy to a protracted land dispute involving Bonatec Nigeria Limited and former Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha, noting that several suits are pending before the Federal Capital Territory High Court and the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
Biose’s lawyers further alleged that on October 14, 2024, officers led by ASP Ugbanawaji supervised the demolition of their client’s property without authorisation from either the Development Control Department or the enforcement unit of the FCT High Court, both of which, they claimed, later disowned the action.
Despite the pending suits, the petition asserted that officers continued to arrest and harass persons connected to the dispute, including individuals not named in any charge. It added that Biose has already instituted a fundamental rights enforcement action against the police, which remains before the court.
The legal team cited multiple ongoing civil and criminal proceedings tied to the land and warned that continued police intervention raises concerns about the doctrine of lis pendens, which bars interference in matters already under judicial consideration.
The petition also accused senior officers, including a serving Commissioner of Police, of disregarding repeated directives from the Commission instructing them to halt investigations and alleged intimidation relating to the dispute pending judicial determination.
Biose’s counsel urged the Commission to urgently intervene and discipline officers involved, cautioning that sustained police involvement in civil land matters could erode public confidence in law enforcement institutions.
As of press time, neither the Commission nor the police authorities had issued an official response to the allegations.
