Alleged fraud: Court restrains Lagos council chair, others from victimising councillor
Justice Olufunke Sule-Amzat of a Lagos High Court has restrained the Chairman of Kosofe Local Government, Moyosore Ogunlewe, and the leadership of the council’s legislative arm from taking disciplinary action
Justice Olufunke Sule-Amzat of a Lagos High Court has restrained the Chairman of Kosofe Local Government, Moyosore Ogunlewe, and the leadership of the council’s legislative arm from taking disciplinary action against a councillor representing Anthony Village, David Olugbenga Samuel, for exposing alleged fraud in the council.
Justice Sule-Amzat gave the order on March 10, while ruling on an ex parte application filed by the councillor through his counsel, Ifeoluwa Omonijo, in a suit marked LD/21415MFHR/2026.
Other respondents include the Leader of the Legislative Council, Isiwu Charity; the council chairman, Moyosore Ogunlewe; Oyedile Olufemi; Kosofe Local Government Legislative Council; the Nigeria Police Force (NPF); and the Area Commander, Area H Command, Ogudu, Lagos.
After hearing the application of the applicants, Justice Sule-Amzat granted an interim injunction restraining Ogunlewe, Olufemi and the Kosofe Legislative Council from suspending, expelling, deducting the councillor’s salary or benefits, or taking any disciplinary action against him pending the determination of the suit.
The court also restrained the Nigeria Police Force from arresting or detaining Samuel over the sexual harassment petition, noting that the matter was under investigation by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi.
The judge also ordered that the respondents should not take any further steps in relation to the petition filed against the councillor pending the determination of the originating motion on notice before the court.
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In a 27-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Samuel in support of the application, the councillor alleged that the council chairman and some members of the legislative leadership orchestrated a politically motivated campaign of intimidation against him.
He claimed that the alleged victimisation followed a petition he submitted on December 2, last year, alongside two other councillors: Abayomi Elugbidin and Sulaimon Baruwa to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
According to him, the petition accused the council chairman of undermining the democratic process in the local government by appointing “shadow councillors” to perform the duties of elected officials, withholding statutory allowances, and using threats and intimidation against them.
The petition also alleged the misappropriation of a ₦100 million empowerment fund, which the councillors claimed was distributed through unelected individuals.
Samuel further told the court that on December 19, last year, a petition emerged from one Ms. Idowu Charity accusing him of sexual harassment.
The councillor, however, denied the allegation, describing it as false and politically motivated.
He stated that he had only seen the petitioner once in a public setting and alleged that the petition was fabricated to damage his reputation and derail his political career in retaliation for exposing alleged financial misconduct within the council.
The case has been adjourned until next Tuesday, for further hearing.
