The Nigeria Police are being criticized again for getting involved in a land dispute. This time, 16 workers were arrested while working on a church property in Lekki, Lagos, even though a court had already ordered that no one should interfere with the land.
According to a petition seen by SaharaReporters, the Celestial Church of Christ, Zion Parish said the arrests were illegal. The church’s lawyer, Bayo Akinlade, explained that the police acted despite three court rulings from April 4, 2025. These rulings told everyone — including the police — not to disturb the church’s peaceful use of the land at No. 12 Oye Balogun Street, off Freedom Way, Lekki.
Still, on April 17, police from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Alagbon, reportedly sent by AIG Margaret Ochalla, stormed the church land and arrested 16 artisans working on the site. Their tools were also taken.
The church’s lawyer called this “an abuse of power and disrespect for the court.” He asked why the police continue to get involved in land issues, especially when the matter is already in court.
The police acted after receiving a complaint from someone claiming to represent one of the people in the land case — a man named Makuachukwu Chukwujama. The complaint said the church brought “armed men” to the land. But the lawyer said that was false. “None of the workers were armed,” he wrote. “The police could not show any court order for the arrest.”
He added that since the matter is in court, the police should not be investigating it. This is known as the sub judice principle — when something is being handled in court, others should not interfere.
In another move that raised eyebrows, the Church Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Aina, was called for a “fact-finding” meeting at the police station on April 22. The church says this is just more intimidation.
The petition ended by calling on the Inspector-General of Police to investigate AIG Margaret Ochalla for ignoring the court order and abusing her power.
The church’s lawyer warned that if police continue acting like this — helping land speculators and ignoring court rulings — it could lead the country toward lawlessness. “This is how failed states begin,” he wrote.
