Inibehe Effiong Chambers

Court Restrains Inspector-General Of Police, Erisco Foods Company From Re-Arresting Female Customer Over Product Review

November 10, 2023
By Sahara Reporters

Effiong reiterated that the case is purely civil and that the police is only meddling in it because a billionaire is the one pushing them.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State on Thursday restrained the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the head of IGP Monitoring Unit, DCP Adamu Elleman, Nigeria Police Force, Erisco Foods Limited and its President/CEO, Eric Umeofia, from re-arresting and detaining the female customer, Chioma Edoka Okoli.

Okoli was earlier arrested and detained for three days in September after she reviewed Erisco Food’s tomato product on her page.

SaharaReporters gathered that a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong who is representing Chioma, had instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit through an Originating Motion on Notice filed on 25th October, 2023 marked Suit Number: FHC/L/CS/2164/2023 at the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, against Erisco Foods and the IGP and others over Chioma’s arrest.

In the suit, Effiong sought the sum of N500 million as compensation and public apology on behalf of his client.

When the case came up on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 before Justice Y. C. Bogoro, the lawyer prayed the court to grant an interim order to restrain the respondents from re-arresting and further detaining Chioma pending the determination of the suit.

Ruling on the ex-parte application, Justice Bogoro granted the prayers sought by the applicant and made an interim order restraining the IGP, the head of IGP Monitoring Unit, Nigeria Police Force, Erisco Foods and its President/CEO, from re-arresting, detaining or interring with the personal liberty of Chioma in anyway pending the determination of the suit.

Reacting to the decision of the court, Effiong stated that his client was not afraid of facing Erisco in court in the event that the police decide to file a charge against her.

“We are not saying that the police should not file a charge against Chioma if they really believe that this case is worthy of their attention, time and resources, we are saying that the police must adhere to the rule of law and respect her fundamental rights. We will be happy to see how they prove their charges.”

Effiong reiterated that the case is purely civil and that the police is only meddling in it because a billionaire is the one pushing them.

He said, “In fact, in our application for interim injunction, I told His Lordship that if she is summoned by a court to face criminal charges, we are ready to confront them in court so that the world can see how oppressive, whimsical and frivolous the Nigeria Police Force can be when exercising their prosecutorial powers.

“The Court agreed with us and made an interim order that she must not be arrested or detained until our fundamental rights suit is heard and determined, or except on the order of a court of competent jurisdiction if she is served with a summons or notice of arraignment and she fails to show up in court in the event that a charge is filed while the case is pending.This is what we applied for and the court has granted it.

“We are confident in our position that this is a purely civil matter which has been illegally escalated by the police to massage the insatiable ego of an arrogant billionaire.”

In a 41 paragraphed affidavit deposed to by Chioma in support of the suit, the nursing mother gave a graphic account of how policemen acting on the instigation of Erisco Foods and its President/CEO, arrested her from St. Andrews Anglican Church in Ogudu, Lagos on September 24, 2023 without prior invitation, and detained her at the Ogudu Police Station.

According to her, the police officers forced her to board a Valujet flight the next day to Abuja where she was further detained at the Asokoro Police Station.

She noted that the officers took her before the head of the IGP Monitoring Unit, DCP Elleman, and the Erisco Foods boss, Chief Eric Umeofia, on 26th September, 2023 and subjected her to further humiliation, intimidation and abuse.

She narrated how Chief Eric repeatedly boasted in the presence of the police officers, that he could have kidnapped and killed her and nothing would happen.

She also accused the police of refusing to make facilities for her to bathe and defecate for the three days she was in police custody, and accused the police and Chief Eric of forcing her to write an apology letter and demanded that she post the apology on Facebook and delete her review of the Nagiko Tomato Mix from her Facebook account as preconditions for her release.

The judge adjourned the case to the February 1, 2024.

Female Customer, Chioma Files N500million Suit Against Erisco Company, Inspector-General Of Police Over Illegal Detention

October 26, 2023
By Sahara Reporters

A Nigerian woman, Mrs Chioma Edoka Okoli, who was arrested and detained for three days after she reviewed a tomato product on Facebook has instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the tomato manufacturing company, Erisco Foods Limited, over the violation of her rights to dignity of human person.

Joined in the suit No. FHC/L/CS/2164/2023, according to the Originating Motion on Notice are President/CEO of Erisco, Chief Eric Umeofia, Acting Inspector General Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Other Respondents in the lawsuit are, the head of the IGP Monitoring Unit, DCP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, and two investigating police officers, CSP Oliver Odimega and DSP Joel Nimfa.

In the suit filed at Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division on Wednesday, through a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, Chioma also sought for N500million damages.

In his written address, Effiong asked the court to determine five issues as follows:

"Whether the arrest and detention of the Applicant by the 3rd to 7th Respondents on the instigation of the 1st and 2nd Respondents, from 24th September, 2023 to the 26th September, 2023, without reasonable cause and or without being charged to court is not a violation of the fundamental right of the Applicant to personal liberty and freedom of movement as enshrined in Sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Articles 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

"Whether the refusal to provide reasonable and necessary facilities for the Applicant to bathe and defecate, and forcefully taking the Applicant to her bank and compelling her to obtain her bank statement against her will, does not amount to torture, oppression, inhuman and degrading treatment by the 3rd to 7th Respondents on the instigation of the 1st and 2nd Respondents, and constitutes a violation of the Fundamental Right of the Applicant to dignity of the human person as guaranteed by Section 34 (1) (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. A9 LFN 2004.

"Whether the seizure and accessing of the contents of the Applicant’s personal mobile phone by the 3rd Respondent, without the Applicant’s consent, and without a court order, is not in contravention of the Fundamental Right to privacy as guaranteed by Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

"Whether the arrest and detention of the Applicant by the 3rd to 7th Respondents, on the instigation of the 1st and 2nd Respondents, over a review made by the Applicant on Facebook as a consumer in respect of the tomato product manufactured by the 1st Respondent, is not arbitrary, illegal, unconstitutional and in blatant contravention of the Fundamental Right of the Applicant to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Article 9 African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

"Whether the Applicant is not entitled to general and exemplary damages, public apology and other reliefs sought in this application for the violation of her fundamental rights.

Upon a resolution of the above questions, Effiong is asking the court to grant the following reliefs in favour of his client:

"A DECLARATION that the arrest and detention of the Applicant without reasonable cause or legally justifiable ground, but merely for an alleged civil wrong arising from the review(s) made by the Applicant on Facebook in respect of the Nakigo Tomato Mix product manufactured by the 1st Respondent is arbitrary, illegal, unjustifiable and in flagrant contravention of the provisions of the law and amounts to a violation of the fundamental right of the Applicant to personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed by Sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Articles 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

"A DECLARATION that the arrest and detention of the Applicant by the 3rd to 7th Respondents on the instigation of the 1st and 2nd Respondents for more than 24 hours without charging her to court for a known offence is unreasonable, unjustifiable, illegal, unconstitutional and a breach of the Fundamental Right of the Applicant to personal liberty as guaranteed by Sections 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Articles 6 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

"A DECLARATION that the failure or refusal by the 3rd to 7th Respondents to provide the Applicant with facilities for her to bathe and defecate while in the 3rd to 7th Respondents’ custody, and forcefully taking the Applicant to her bank and compelling her to obtain her Statement of Account against her will on the instigation of the 1st and 2nd Respondents, amounts to torture, oppression, inhuman and degrading treatment and is unjustifiable, unconscionable, illegal, unconstitutional and a breach of the Fundamental Right of the Applicant to dignity of the human person as guaranteed by Section 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

"A DECLARATION that the seizure and accessing of the private chats and other contents of the personal mobile phone of the Applicant by the 3rd Respondent, in conceit with other officers and agents of the 5th Respondent on the instigation of the 1st and 2nd Respondents, without the Applicant’s consent or a court order, is unjustifiable, illegal, unconstitutional and a breach of the Fundamental Right of the Applicant to privacy as guaranteed by Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended).

"A DECLARATION that the review of the Nakigo Tomato Mix product manufactured and produced by the 1st Respondent by the Applicant on her Facebook timeline as a consumer of the said product is constitutional, lawful and in furtherance of the fundamental right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Article 9 African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

"A DECLARATION that the arrest and detention of the Applicant by the 3rd to 7th Respondents on the instigation of the 1st and 2nd Respondents, because of the Applicant’s review of the Nakigo Tomato Mix product is ultra vires, unjustifiable, condemnable, unconstitutional and amounts to a violation of the fundamental right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Section by 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Article 9 African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

"AN ORDER of this Honourable Court directing and compelling the Respondents, jointly and severally, to publish an unreserved written apology to the Applicant in the three National Newspapers for breaching the Applicant’s fundamental rights.

"AN ORDER of this Honourable Court directing and compelling the 1st and 2nd Respondents to also publish the said unreserved written apology to the Applicant on the page of Erisco Foods Limited.

"AN ORDER of this Honourable Court directing and compelling the Respondents, jointly and severally, to pay the sum of N500, 000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) as General and Exemplary damages to the Applicant for violating the Applicant’s Fundamental Rights.

"AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Respondents, jointly and severally, whether by themselves, their agents, departments, employees, operatives, detectives, investigating officers or howsoever or by whatever name called, from further arresting or interfering with the personal liberty and other fundamental rights of the Applicant in any manner."

In a 41 paragraphed affidavit deposed to by Chioma in support of the suit, the nursing mother gave a graphic account of how policemen acting on the instigation of Erisco Foods Limited and its President/CEO, Chief Eric Umeofia, arrested her from St. Andrews Anglican Church in Ogudu, Lagos on 24th September, 2023 without prior invitation, and detained her at the Ogudu Police Station.

According to her the police officers forced her to board a Valuejet flight the next day to Abuja where she was further detained at the Asokoro Police Station.

She noted that the officers took her before the head of the IGP Monitoring Unit, DCP Elleman, and the Erisco Foods boss, Chief Eric Umeofia, on 26th September, 2023 and subjected her to further humiliation, intimidation and abuse. She narrated how Chief Eric repeatedly boasted in the presence of the police officers, that he could have kidnapped and killed her and nothing would happen.

She also accused the police of refusing to make facilities for her to bathe and defecate for the three days she was in police custody, and accused the police and Chief Eric of forcing her to write an apology letter and demanded that she post the apology on Facebook and delete her review of the Nagiko Tomato Mix from her Facebook account as preconditions for her release.

Chioma had asked the court to compel Erisco Foods Limited, Chief Eric, the Nigeria Police Force and other Respondents to pay her the sum of N500 Million as general and exemplary damages and also tender a public apology to her in National Newspapers and on Facebook.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

HOLD CHIEF ERIC UMEOFIA AND ERISCO FOODS LIMITED RESPONSIBLE IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO CHIOMA OKOLI AND HER FAMILY

I am compelled to alert Nigerians about the overt acts of Erisco Foods Limited and its President/CEO, Chief Eric Umeofia, which have endangered the lives of my client, Mrs. Chioma Edoka Okoli and that of her family members.

In an arrogant, failed and sickening attempt to justify the gruesome violation of the fundamental rights of my client, Chief Umeofia published an involuntary letter of apology which was extracted from my client under duress and oppression to the whole world.

In publishing the said letter on national televisions and on social media, Chief Umeofia did not bother to redact the residential address of my client.

Thus, what is supposed to be the private residence of my client has been publicized to the whole world and is trending all over the social media without regards for the security and safety of Chioma, her husband and entire family.

This irresponsible action by the President of Erisco Foods Limited with the active connivance of the Nigeria Police Force has put the lives of Chioma and her family under threat.

As the husband of Chioma has already stated, Chief Eric Umeofia had also made blatant threatening statements directed at Chioma in the presence of policemen, including the head of the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, 26th September, 2023. Only one officer was bold enough to caution him to desist from further making such reckless threats in their presence.

Since the publication of their residential address, my client and her family have been subjected to mental torture, unimaginable fear and apprehension.

I am therefore minded to alert Nigerians that should any harm behalf Chioma or any member of her family, Erisco Foods Limited, its President and the Nigeria Police Force should be held responsible.

Inibehe Effiong
September 30, 2023.

BEFORE YOU DEFEND ERISCO FOODS LTD.

It is only a mischievous person or someone who’s not familiar with the modus operandi of the Nigeria Police Force that will pretend not to know that the police in this country, constantly intimidate and compel those under investigation for expressing views online to write letter of apology to influential complainants.

I have seen this silly script before and I know exactly how cases like this end. If the President/CEO of Erisco Foods Limited is so confident about his case, he would have allowed his lawyer to pursue a civil action in court.

But no, he had to use police.

The same Nigeria Police that we are all familiar with.

The same police that arrested a citizen for allegedly naming a dog Buhari. With money, any idiot in this country can deploy the police against his fellow citizen.

I will be the last person and lawyer in this country to submit to police intimidation and persecution. No matter how rich you are, your money is useless in my eyes once I am convinced that you’re on the wrong side of the law.

Before you defend Erisco, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Was the arrest really necessary in the first place?

2. Did the police act lawfully and professionally by seizing Chioma’s phone and checking the contents thereof against her wish?

3. Is the detention of Chioma beyond 24 hours without being charged to court not a violation of her fundamental rights?

4. Is the police justified in forcefully taking Chioma to the bank to obtain her account statement?

5. Is it proper to use the police to extract apology from a person under investigation?

These are some of the legal infractions that some of us are defending blindly due to sentiments. Is this the type of country that we want to live in?

Those of us who have had to constantly defend the weak in our country that are hunted by the police on the instigation of influential Nigerians will not defend Erisco. We know better. We know the record of the Nigeria Police Force on respect for the Fundamental rights of Nigerians.

Even after they forced Chioma to write the so-called apology, they rejected and shredded the first one and dictated the contents of the one now in circulation. Still not satisfied, they still inserted a statement that reads: “I am sorry for the lies concerning the product.”

Do not take my word for it, look at the apology letter in circulation carefully. You will see that this particular statement was superimposed. Just look at it. They squeezed it in just to satisfy the insatiable ego of an arrogant billionaire.

The talk about a product killing people is baseless. Who did Chioma make this allegation against? Read the referenced comment dispassionately. Who’s the brother in question and where in her comment was the word “killing” used? I haven’t seen it. The law does not work based on speculations. Chief Eric Umeofia should tell us where and when Chioma accused him of using his products to kill Nigerians.

Chioma didn’t complain about the presence of sugar in the tomato product in question. Her complaint was about the quantity of sugar. Go and read what she wrote. It is immaterial whether the product is approved by NAFDAC or not. All commercial banks in Nigeria are approved by the CBN. Yet, when they don’t deliver efficient service, customers call them all sorts of names. Internet service providers are also approved by NCC, but we see Nigerians abuse them daily.

Nigerians have called commercial banks and internet service providers the most horrible names. I have not read that any bank or internet service provider has ever arrested anyone for the insults and allegations directed at them over their poor services.

Erisco created this public relations disaster because of their lack of emotional intelligence. Someone felt that using force is the best way to attend to the views of an aggrieved customer who used her money to buy their product.

In his petition, Chief Eric did not stop at the post and comment made by Chioma. He went ahead to make blatantly false allegations against her. He accused her of criminal conspiracy, blackmail and being part or ORGANIZED SYNDICATE that is FAKING their products after failing to EXTORT MONEY from his company.

He knew that these allegations are false.

But he still made them.

The last time I checked, giving false information to the police was a criminal offence in Nigeria. This is the company that some people are defending. It is Chioma today, it might be you tomorrow.

Erisco Foods Limited and the police will have to prove all those allegations beyond reasonable doubt. They will have to prove every single allegation they have made against Chioma. The burden of proof is on Erisco and the unprofessional and lawless Nigeria Police Force.

Chioma is currently hospitalized, her legs are swollen due to the torture, inhuman and degrading meted on her while in police custody. She is a nursing mother.

We will not allow these infractions to go unchallenged.

We will confront this madness in court.

History will vindicate the just.

Inibehe Effiong

RE: ILLEGAL ARREST AND UNLAWFUL DETENTION OF MR. LANGWA BRESHNEV ON THE INSTIGATION OF MR. HILLARY EMEKA MBA OVER A COMMERCIAL DISPUTE: OUR RESPONSE TO THE FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER.

Our attention has just been drawn to a statement issued by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja dated 31st July, 2023 in respect of the illegal arrest and unlawful detention of our client, Mr. Langwa Breshnev.

Ordinarily, we would have ignored the statement issued by the Force PRO but given the factual inaccuracies and willful misrepresentation of facts contained in the statement, we are compelled to respond and set the record straight.

1. The Force PRO claims the ongoing "investigation" is in line with Police Investigation Procedure. We challenge the Force PRO to publicly confirm to the whole world that the Nigerian Police now has a new standard "Police Investigation Procedure" where people are now tracked in breach of their fundamental rights to privacy and liberty and arrested without any prior invitation whatsoever. Our client is a known and licensed businessman in Nigeria and has never disobeyed any lawful invitation from the Police. When our client was arrested, he demanded for a warrant but none was shown to him at the point of arrest. We challenge the Force PRO to produce and display publicly, the warrant that authorised the Police to track and arrest Mr. Langwa Breshnev.

2. The Force PRO also claims that the suspect has been "off the radar". This claim is patently false, baseless, malicious and misleading. Our client Mr. Langwa Breshnev is the Secretary of the Senior Police Officers' Mess (Honorary Committee) in Akwa Ibom State and was attending the meeting of the Mess at the Akwa Ibom State Police Command Headquarters on the 14th day of July, 2023 when he received a call from the policemen who had tracked him to his base in Uyo, that he was wanted. As a responsible and law abiding individual who had nothing to fear or worry about, our client told the officers that he was in a meeting at the State Command Headquarters and that he will notify them when he is done with his meeting. Upon conclusion of the meeting, our client called back the officers and they came and met with him. When our client asked the officers why they were looking for him, the officers pointedly told him that he was wanted in connection with a case involving one Hillary Emeka Mba and that he must go with them to Lagos because DIG Frank Frank Emeka Mba had given them a specific instruction.

3. Following the intervention of a senior police officer working at the State Command, our client at the instant of the said Senior Officer spoke on the phone with DIG Frank Emeka Mba who asked our client to cooperate and follow the policemen to Lagos for the resolution of the dispute between our client and his business partner.

4. It is also shocking that the Police claim our client was off the radar. How could our client be "off the radar" when no one ever invited him to answer to any Petition prior to the illegal arrest carried out on the 14th day of July, 2023? Assuming without conceding that the arrest was lawful and that the Police merely wanted Mr. Langwa to "answer" to the allegations against him. Why was Mr. Langwa not informed of his offence in writing within 24 hours in line with section 35 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria? Why did the Police blatantly refuse to release Mr. Langwa on administrative bail after obtaining his statement despite producing a reliable surety? Why was Mr. Langwa detained for 6 days from 14th July, 2023 to 20th July 2023 before being surreptitiously taken to Court to seek an Order to further detain him for 30 days in gross breach and violation of section 35 (5) of the 1999 Constitution? Why did the Police Investigators at FCID Annex Alagbon, Lagos particularly the IPO Inspector Isuku Jeffrey Ifah threaten our client and insist that our client must pay atleast 50% of the disputed debt of 26 million Naira before his administrative bail can even be considered? How come the Police rushed to Court to seek a detention Order only after they were confronted about their illegal arrest and unlawful detention?

5. The Petition which crystallised into this illegal arrest and unlawful detention was submitted to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, FCID Annex, Alagbon, Lagos on the 16th day of June, 2023 and our client was arrested on the 14th day of July, 2023, a period of about one month. What "Police Investigation Procedure" was carried out within the period? Our client's registered business address in Uyo is a matter of public knowledge but the Police never thought an invitation was necessary for one month leading to the arrest.

6. The Force PRO also claims the "...investigation so far by the Police team have however, clearly established a prima facie case again the suspect...". We strongly believe that this particular claim is at best intended for humour. When placed side by side with the fact that the Police in their affidavit in support of their Application for Remand have equally claimed that the suspect has made a confessional statement, the whole point of surreptitiously rushing to court to seek 30 days becomes ridiculous if not to actualise their threat to keep our client until he produces atleast 50% of the 26 million Naira disputed debt.

7. Even a year one law student knows that when a suspect has made a confessional statement and investigation has also yielded a "prima facie case", the next legal, responsible and reasonable line of action will be to file a charge against the suspect. The Police in this case knows their intention was never to investigate a crime but to recover a disputed debt and that is unlawful. We challenge the Force PRO and the Police to file the charge immediately since the suspect has made a confessional statement and since investigation has established a prima facie case.

8. On the misleading claims about a Remand Order being issued by Igbosere Magistrate Court 21, Lagos and a purported earlier Remand Order committing the suspect to Police custody for imaginary discrete investigation. We find these claims to be spurious and calculated to mis-charaterize the facts. The truth is that exactly 6 days after the illegal arrest and unlawful detention, after our client's refusal to produce 50% of the disputed debt and after being confronted on their illegality, the Police surreptitiously took Mr. Langwa Breshnev before a Magistrate in Surulere on the 20th day of July, 2023 to obtain an Order to detain our client for 30 days but to their surprise, we intercepted information and were able to trace them. A lawyer from our Firm put up appearance in Court for Mr. Langwa Breshnev and challenged the Remand Application. The Learned Magistrate ordered that we file formal processes and the matter was adjourned to 25th day of July, 2023. There was no Remand Order issued given that we had challenged the illegal procedure and had been ordered to file formal processes.

9. On the last adjourned date being 25th of July, 2023, the police in the most unprofessional manner, attempted to force our client into the car of the nominal complainant, Hillary Emeka Mba, to be taken to the court. Our client protested and vehemently refused to be conveyed to Court in the nominal complainant's car and this resulted in a scene. When the Magistrate was informed in open court about this development and the safety concerns raised by a lawyer from our firm, the Magistrate in his discretion decided that Mr. Langwa Breshnev should rather be kept in the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of the propriety of the Application for Remand. That is the truth and the Police know it.

10. On the issue of the relationship between Mr. Hillary Emeka Mba and DIG Frank Emeka Mba, we wish to state again and in truth that Mr. Hillary Emeka Mba had repeatedly boasted of his relationship with DIG Frank Emeka Mba who he said was going to teach our client a lesson and that our client should be careful otherwise he will use his connection in the Police to "bite" our client very hard.

11. For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that it is actually Mr. Hillary Emeka Mba that is owing our client and our client is already in the process of using civil legal means to recover the sums owed our client in view of the facts that our client does not believe in criminalizing what is purely a commercial dispute with his business partner.

12. We urge the Force PRO and indeed the Police to desist from muddling up the issues and apologise to our client for allowing itself to be used as a debt recovery agency. If the Police believes a crime has been committed, they should file a charge and stop threatening our client to pay 26 Milliom Naira. We are more than prepared to meet them in Court.

13. In a country plagued by so much nationwide insecurity, we believe very strongly that the Police should rather devote their energy to urgent issues of internal security. Given the manner the Police is going about this case, it is obvious to discerning Nigerians that the premises of police reforms are nothing but empty words.

History will vindicate the just.

Inibehe Effiong, ESQ.
(Lead Counsel to Mr. Langwa Breshnev).