A businessman, Timi Popoola, has said that he sought the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police

A businessman, Timi Popoola, has said that he sought the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to stop his alleged intimidation by the Chairman, Peace Valley Zone in Magodo Phase II, Lagos State, Ayobami Olubiyi, whom he accused of using security guards to harass and deny him access to his property in the estate.

PUNCH Metro had reported that residents of the estate condemned the attempt by policemen from the IGP Monitoring Team to arrest Olubiyi last Wednesday.

The policemen, numbering six, were said to have been mobilised by Popoola and laid siege to Olubiyi’s residence around 6am in a bid to arrest him, but their efforts became futile as some residents in the zone and others intervened.

Olubiyi had said that despite explaining to Popoola that the estate was strictly residential, he allegedly converted a building he purchased to a hotel

Refuting this claim, Popoola stated that the building was not converted to a hotel, adding that trouble started between him and the chairman when he commenced the renovation of the property.

He said, “I bought the house purposely for my expatriate partners, who back me up in my oil and gas insurance business. The expatriates said they would not be coming as usual again, because they didn’t want to lodge in hotels due to COVID-19; so, I suggested getting an apartment for them to stay whenever they come and they agreed. I was doing internal renovation in the house when I received a call that a truck conveying sharp sand to the house was denied entry by the estate’s security guards.

“I quickly went there and asked why they denied the driver access and I was told they acted on the instructions of the chairman. The chairman denied giving such an instruction when I called him; I also asked if it was about my annual dues and he said no, and the truck was granted access.

“Surprisingly, I was coming in one day to inspect the work done when the guards said they were told not to be opening the gate for me except I open it myself and that none of my visitors would be granted access into the estate. I had to be opening the estate gate by myself until Mr Wale Taiwo, SAN, intervened to resolve the matter during a virtual meeting.