Gail Fajembola, a Lagos businesswoman, has filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit before the Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking a perpetual injunction restraining Olutoyi Estate Development & Services Ltd, the Inspector General of Police, and four others from arresting, detaining, or harassing her in connection with a civil property dispute with businessman, Tunde Ayeni.
In the suit filed by her counsel, Akin Apara, Fajembola is asking the court to declare that the Nigeria Police Force cannot misuse its powers under the guise of investigating a civil transaction to intimidate her into evicting a lawful tenant or surrendering possession of a disputed property—Flat K9-2, Ocean Parade Towers, Banana Island, Ikoyi—to real estate firm Olutoyl Estate Development & Services Ltd.
Respondents in the suit include the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (Zone 2), the Commissioner of Police (Lagos State Command), Ogbonna Nweke, Olutoyl Estate Development & Services Ltd, and Tunde Ayeni.
Fajembola is seeking multiple declarations, including that the threats by the police to arrest or detain her over a private civil dispute are unconstitutional, oppressive, and violate her rights to dignity, liberty, and freedom of movement.
She further argues that enforcing property repossession is not a statutory duty of the police.
She is asking the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the 1st to 4th respondents from further interfering with her rights, and N50 million in damages for what she describes as “unlawful and unconstitutional interference” with her constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.
In a supporting 10-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Olawale Arowosaye, a litigation clerk, the court was informed that the dispute arose from a previously cordial relationship between Gail Fajembola and Tunde Ayeni.
According to the affidavit, Ayeni allowed Fajembola to occupy the said property in 2016. She reportedly invested $45,792 in furnishing the apartment and lived there until relocating to the United Kingdom in 2019.
During her absence, the apartment was used as a short-let (Airbnb) and later leased in 2022 to Expand Global Industries Ltd. as a yearly tenant.
Fajembola claims the lease arrangement was made with Ayeni’s verbal consent and full awareness.
However, after their personal relationship deteriorated, she alleges that Ayeni and Olutoyl Estate Development began pressuring her in January 2025 to evict the tenant and return the apartment.
Instead of pursuing legal eviction, the 5th and 6th respondents allegedly involved the police, summoning Fajembola, her agent, and the tenant’s representatives to their office, where they were allegedly intimidated and pressured to vacate the property.
Fajembola denies ever being arrested or detained, as some media reports have suggested. She also maintains she never claimed ownership of the apartment or attempted to sell it to anyone.