YOU’RE WRONG OVER PORTABLE ARREST – PELUMI CRITICISES THE POLICE
A Lawyer and social critic, barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi over the police arrest of Portable on account of breach of civil agreement. He however made this known on his verifiable Facebook page monitored by Newsmediang. He emphasised the need for Nigerian police to stop acting as debt collector over civil wrongs matters. He further criticises portable attempts to resist the arrest.
“Although Portable may be troublesome, his arrest and the method of debt recovery employed by the Nigerian Police Force is a blatant disregard for our laws. This highlights the deteriorating state of the Nigerian Police force. It’s crucial to note that indebtedness is not a criminal offence, even the Nigerian government has debts.
The courts have consistently emphasized that the police should refrain from involvement in civil matters such as debt recovery or contractual disputes, unless there are allegations of fraud, such as obtaining under false pretences, cheating, or criminal breach of trust.”
“Section 32(2) of The Police Act 2020, arrests based solely on civil wrongs or breaches of contract are expressly prohibited. In the case of Oceanic Securities Int. Ltd. v. Balogun & Ors (2012) LPELR-9218 (CA), the Court of Appeal reiterated this stance by affirming that ‘the police have no role in enforcing debt settlements or recovering civil debts for banks or any entity.”
“Similarly, in KURE V. COP (2020) LPELR-49378(SC), the Supreme Court emphasized that ‘the police is not a debt recovery agency and should not intervene in contractual disputes arising from purely civil transactions.”
“Additionally, the Court of Appeal, in IMAM & ANOR v. USMAN & ANOR (2023) LPELR-60203(CA), reiterated this position.
The Nigerian Police Force reducing its Esteem Globally every day.
And to Portable, resisting arrest is an offence on its own.”
Newsmediang reports that Lagos State Police Command, on Tuesday, arrested controversial musician, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, for refusing to pay the debt he incurred when he purchased G-Wagon from a car dealer in the state.
It was gathered that Portable, during the purchase of the vehicle worth N27m, paid only N13m and had refused to pay the N14m balance on the pretext that the car was faulty.
According to a report by PunchOnline, it was learnt that whenever the car dealer contacted him to pay the balance, he usually claimed that the vehicle was bad.
The car dealer consequently reported the matter to the police and policemen detailed to investigate the case arrested Portable.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that Portable had been arrested.
“Yes, Portable has been arrested. He bought G-Wagon for N27m, paid N13m and refused to pay the rest, claiming the vehicle was bad. We arrested him today,” SP Hundeyin stated.
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