Metro
Assault: Monarch Who Said ‘He’s More Than Police’ Sued For N200m
By Gideon Ayeni
Prominent human rights lawyer, Funmi Falana (SAN), has filed a N200 million lawsuit against Oba Semiu Adewale Ogunjobi, the Olorile of Orile Ifo in Ogun State, on behalf of a 73-year-old man, Elder Areola Abraham Love JP.
The lawsuit, filed at the Ogun State High Court in Ota, seeks redress for the alleged assault and violation of Elder Love’s fundamental rights, including dignity, freedom of movement, and right to life.
The case stems from an incident on January 21, 2025, when Elder Love was reportedly attacked by the monarch and his associates in Orile Ifo. According to the suit, the elderly man was physically assaulted, slapped, and forced to kneel and prostrate before a crowd. The petition claims this act was degrading, inhumane, and a direct violation of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Falana, representing the victim, described the alleged assault as a severe breach of human rights and called for justice. The lawsuit demands N200 million in damages and a public apology to be published in major national newspapers, including The Punch, Vanguard, and Nigerian Tribune.
“The systematic beating, slapping, and verbal abuse of my client by the respondent and his agents constitute not just a violation of his dignity but also a threat to his life,” Falana stated in the court filing.
The legal action follows intervention from the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), which took up the case to ensure justice for the septuagenarian.
Elder Love’s affidavit recounts how he was walking on a street in Orile Ifo when a vehicle belonging to the monarch blocked his path. The Oba allegedly emerged from the car with his aides and launched an unprovoked attack, threatening to expel him from the community.
The lawsuit urges the court to declare the monarch’s actions unlawful and unconstitutional, emphasizing that no citizen should be subjected to such treatment.
As of the time of this report, Oba Ogunjobi has not publicly responded to the allegations.
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