News Editor
Foremost civil Rights Advocacy group: – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has urged the secretary to the government of the Federation Mr. Boss Mustapha to investigate allegations of serial harassment, threats to life of a knight of the Roman Catholic Church in Abuja Sir. Lawrence Omotayo by the Director General of National Office for Trade negotiation Dr. Yonov Frederick Agah.
The Prominent Human Rights platform said the allegations against the federal governments appointee by his residential neigbour at Kujama Close Area 2 section 1, Garki Abuja, who is a reputable businessman and community organizer in the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja Sir Omotayo are disconcerting and are disturbing enough to the Human Rights Community to deserve the express probe by the secretary to the government of the federation to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of these accusations which include threats to life of the knight and his family members.
In a media statement, the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko said HURIWA has visited the vicinity to verify some of those allegations and made several calls to the phone number provided as that of the alleged violator to no avail just as the group said it is convinced that only the direct intervention of the SGF will assuage the monumental fear of Sir Lawrence Omotayo and his family members who are afraid of imminent threats to their lives because of the Prominent public status of the alleged violator.
Titled: “Petition against alleged intimidation, harassments with incessant summons, frivolous demand for the sum of four million Naira (N4m) and threats to life of myself and family members allegedly by Dr. Yonov Frederick Agah, Director General of National office for trade negotiation who is a co-flat owner”, the petitioner cried for redress through our organisation to draw the attention of office of the SGF of the central government to these allegations.
HURIWA recalled that Sir. Lawrence Omotayo in the petition addressed to National Coordinator of HURIWA Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko disclosed the allegations thus:
“My name is Lawrence Omotayo, I’m a citizen of Nigeria. I run a private business in Abuja (Printing & Publishing and Real Estate) after meritoriously served three successive Legislators as Legislative Aide in the National Assembly from a career which spanned almost a decade there. My printing press / office is situated at Area 3, Garki, Abuja.
I purchased Flat 6, Block 8, Kujama Close from Mr. JDA Akanbi (a retired Director and colleague of Mr. Yonov Frederick Agah in the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Federal Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Abuja) in September, 2020, commenced renovation of the flat purchased in December, 2020 and moved in on February 18th 2021.
In the course of the renovation, it is only natural that we attempted to clear most of the surroundings and donate the ones we felt we need to give back to the community. In doing these, we identified a guava tree (which we thought grew on its own at first because it was less than 2ft to the foundation of the building), I was reliably informed also that the guava tree usually carries current from the high tension it was touching then so we cut it down and uprooted it so as to save the children in the neighborhood and the building. We equally renovated the water tap provided by my former flat owner and left it opened (on my water meter till date for the benefit of the community. It is noteworthy to state that Mr. Agah’s household uses the water from the same tap to wash car). I provided a fence wire beside Mr. Agah’s flat, erected a parking lots for the first time (there was no allotted parking lots for each flats as of the time I started the renovation in fact, in addition to the spaces allotted to Mr. Agah’s flat, he took additional one at the main entrance to the building which he deliberately blocks the entrance with impunity. I changed two separate glasses in his flat after the claim by his maid – Dorcas that they were broken in the course of the renovation.
Permit me to state that Dorcas created a serious scene (she stood in front of my wife in my presence and called me a senseless man three times and my wife slapped her the third time when she ignored her advice not to repeat such statement about her husband in front of her), she invited a machinery (a lady who came in Toyota 4runner with thugs that night to fight me and my family. The whole community witnessed and blamed her for the action) when we couldn’t change the glasses on time because we were waiting to finish the renovation. This orchestrated the purported video she made and sent to Mr. Agah in Switzerland.
I singlehandedly roofed the space comprising the 3 flats on the left wing of the building (Mr. Agah’s inclusive) without bordering anyone and erected poles for spreading of clothes for the community. I cemented the frontage of the said space alone which cost me a fortune to the extent that the whole community praised and appreciated the good work God used me to do in the neighborhood within a short time. I recently initiated lighting for the whole block, this laudable idea was supported by the Chairman of the community who incidentally resides in our block. He willingly accepted to have the bill for about 13 bulbs and lighting points on his prepaid meter in addition to the ones he purchased.
Mr. Yonov Frederick Agah who was resident in Switzerland has been issuing series of threats and intimidating myself ever since (he called me via WhatsApp in February 2021 after series of attempts by him to get my identity of which I gave the go ahead to release my mobile number) to the extent that I consulted the man who sold the flat to me in order to know the reason behind the hostility and it was revealed that they had an issue while working together in the ministry. His lawyer subsequently sent a notification to proceed to court if I don’t pay them the sum of N3m (three million Naira) for a guava tree because his first accusation to me when he called was the claim that been the person on the ground floor he owns all the surroundings of the building that I should go back and ask the man who sold the flat to me. At first, I didn’t want to insult him due to his age and so I told him I don’t understand what he was saying and the call ended with him saying I should get myself a good lawyer and I told him I have one already.
Mr. Agah and his household has been pointing me and my family to series of strangely looking fellows in the neighborhood (including one that came with a 1999 Toyota sienna with the registration number Abuja LAW, grey in colour), this they have been doing which exposed me and my family to great risk and danger.
Within the last three weeks my two cars have been tampered with, first it was my Honda Pilot that someone loosened all the nuts in the front tyre (driver side) and left it there. I had driving the car to FHA Lugbe with a strange sound from the tyre side, I called my mechanic to complain but they couldn’t understand the reason for such noise. The following day, I was driven to Trademore Estate with my entire family in the car, the tyre was almost pulling off when I stopped in front of Milipat Filling Station in order to check the problem once again and discovered to my amazement that the whole 5 nuts were loosened completely. Days later, my wife Chrysler car tyre went flat each one for each day until I told the security to help me pay special attention to my cars.
Less than one week later, Dorcas – Mr. Agah’s maid led a court official to serve me a court summon. I immediately drew the attention of the Community Chairman to the development and called my lawyer before accepting the summon.
In the latest summon, Mr. Agah through his lawyer is demanding the sum of Three Million Naira for the guava tree and one million Naira as compensation.
I am compelled to write your office because Mr. Agah have arrays of security operatives at his disposal been a director general and he has been intimidating the neighborhood with them including non-payment of charges agreed by the community (arears of security levy he’s owing were paid December, 2021 when he wanted to serve me court summon while others are still pending).
The whole community prevailed upon him not to attempt taking me to court after all the good things I have done in the community within a short time but they were disappointed that he’s bringing up the matter again (the second time) by insisting that I should remove the pavement (of almost 10m x 4m) I donated to the block and plant grass there which is an invitation to anarchy.
I urge you to use your good office in protecting me and my family from the man who believed he is superior and powerful than all his neighbours to the extent that he intimidates and treat his fellow humans the way he likes.
Attached herewith, the photocopies of Mr. Agah’s incessant court threats and coloured pictures of the building and its environs as against Mr. Agah’s lawyer deliberate black and white print out in order to mislead the court and public.
While thanking you in advance for the anticipated favourable action, please accept the assurances of my highest regards and esteem.”
HURIWA therefore appeals to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to intervene so these citizens afraid that harm may be done to them are reassured. HURIWA said it will similarly be sending the petition to the office of President Muhammadu Buhari as the father of the Nation to intervene.
