By Amos Tauna.., Kaduna
Following the destruction of the property of the former minister of environment, Mrs Laurentia Mallam in Kaduna in northern Nigeria on Friday, the family, Mr and Mrs Pius A. Mallam has written to governor El-Rufai to use his office and ensure thorough investigation into the matter with a view of bringingu the culprits to book in order to forestall future occurence of such criminal and illegal acts.
This according to the family was to ensure no breach of public peace, public disturbance, or violent unrest in whatever guise in the future.
A letter dated 15th May, 2016 written by the Solicitors to Mr &Mrs Pius A. Mallam, D. D. Tabakwot Esq. PP: James Kanyit & Co, and made available to newsmen captioned, “Petition against Ravinia Industrial Supplied Limited, Alhaji Shebebi Ibdo Sule, and Biola Oyebanji, Esq for trespass, damage to private property, looting, inciting public disturbance and breach of public peace.”
The letter written to governor El-Rufai was copied to the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Police Command and the Director, Department of Security Service, Kaduna, said, “We are Solicitors to Mr. and Mrs. Pius A. Mallam (“our clients”); and on whose behalf and firm instructions we write to you on the above-captioned subject-matter.
“Our clients’ briefing to us which we verily believe to be true and correct reveals as follows, that:
“At about 5:40 am of 12/05/2017, some hoodlums numbering about fifty (50) accompanied by about twenty (20) well-armed policemen invaded our Client’s business premises situate at No. 1, Nyerere Road, Narayi High Cost, Kaduna.
“The said hoodlums who came in five (5) Toyota buses were brandishing deadly weapons such as machetes, cutlasses, knives, axes, diggers, sledge hammers, etc, chanting war songs and embarked on the demolition of the premises.
“They brought down the fence, gates and broke into the Accounts Office and carted away the sum of N480, 200.00 which were proceeds from the the sales of the previous night. They also looted the bakery; brought down the structure housing the kitchen; and damaged the lounge and other structures in the premises.
“The hoodlums were hired by Biola Oyebanji, Esq who is the Counsel to Ravinia Industrial Supplies Limited and its Managing Director, Alhaji Shebebi Ibdo Sule to carry out these illegal and criminal acts purportedly pursuant to the execution of a Warrant of Possession of Premises dated 24/02/2003.
“Our clients are the rightful owners of the premises having lawfully obtained a Certificate of Occupancy No. 18791 in the name of “Pius A. Mallam” duly executed and registered as No. KDR 83, at Page 83, in Volume 126 (Certificates of Occupancy) of the State’s Lands Registry Office, Kaduna.
“More worrisome is the fact that the hoodlums were all brought in from Rigasa and Tudun Wada axis of Kaduna metropolis (‘Muslim Dominated Areas’) to carry out these criminal and illegal acts in High Cost, Narayi(‘A Christain-Dominated Area’).
“The manner in which these hoodlums were chanting war songs, brandishing their deadly weapons and carrying out these criminal and illegal acts attracted the attention of the youths of the neighbourhood and beyond, especially from Sabon Tasha, who came out in large number to violently confront the hoodlums. When the hoodlums saw the large turnout of the youths, they ran away.
“But for the timely intervention of the Commissioner of Police who sent the 2nd-in-Command and other Police officers of the Barnawa Police Division to the scene, and that of Sa Gbagyi (the Chief of Gbagyi Chiefdom), the situation created by the hoodlums in concert with Biola Oyebanji, Esq., Ravinia Industrial Supplies Limited and Alhaji Shebebi Ibdo Sule would have escalated into a violent religious crisis and a serious security breach in the State.
“At a time when Your Excellency is putting a lot of time, resources and efforts to bring lasting and enduring peace in the entire State, the actions of the hoodlums in concert with Biola Oyebanji, Esq., Ruavinia Industrial Supplies Limited and Alhaji Shebebi Ibdo Suule as aforesaid were capable of not only undermining these efforts, but also would have had the tendencies of breaching the peace that His Excellency has painstakingly ensured that the State is presently enjoying.”
