A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Thursday, gave an
order of interim injunction restraining the Inspector-General of
Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, from using his office to assist
cash-strapped government contractor, Emeka Offor, to sell off
assets of Centrepoint Network Limited, a company owned by his
deceased wife, Joy Chukwureh-Offor. The court also restrained Mr.
Offor from taking over the management of the company pending the
hearing and determination of the company’s motion on notice for
interlocutory injunction.
Hearing of the motion has been adjourned to January 19,
2018.
In the case (Suit No. FHC/L/CS/09/2018), the children of the
deceased, who are directors and shareholders of the company, asked
the court to stop the IGP, the first defendant, and officers under
his control from assisting Mr. Offor, the second defendant, to sell
properties of the company, including its office. Joined as the
third defendant is the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
In her ruling, Justice Hadiza Shagari held that there is a real
and imminent threat to the company’s existence, operations,
management and properties by Mr. Offor, who is aided by officers
and men under the IGP’s control. She equally held that there are
serious issues to be determined in the substantive suit, adding
that the parties in the suit must maintain status quo pending the
determination of the motion for interlocutory injunction.
Justice Shagari also held that the balance of convenience is in
favor of the applicants, stating that the award of compensatory
damages will be inadequate recompense if the order sought was not
granted. In an affidavit in support of its application, Centrepoint
Network Limited stated that it provides Information Technology
services to British High Commission, Argentine Embassy, American
Embassy, South African High Commission and the Ministry of Defence
among other clients. The affidavit, deposed to by Mr. Femi
Adenitire of Babajide Koku and Co, lawyers to the plaintiff, stated
that Mr. Offor had an intimate relationship to the deceased, who
was the Managing Director of Centrepoint Network Limited until her
death on October 10, 2017.
The company’s directors and shareholders at incorporation and
till date, the affidavit stated, have been the deceased and her
children, Akumbu Obioha, Sopuluchuku Offor and Nnedinma Obioha.
According to the company, the five children of the deceased are
close sisters, but Mr. Offor, who is not a director, is working to
split them so as to be able to plunder their mother’s assets.
Mr. Offor, the plaintiff averred, met with the directors and
shareholders of the company as well as other relatives of the
deceased on December 24 2017, three days after the funeral of the
late Managing Director. At the meeting, Mr. Offor declared that he
would sell all the properties of the deceased, sell all her
companies and give the proceeds to charity, irrespective of the
fact that the company is a distinct legal entity from the former
Managing Director. Mr. Offor boasted that he will use the Police to
carry out his plan, saying that he is sufficiently influential to
make the Police do his bidding.
Two days after the meeting, Mr. Offor gave teeth to his threat,
storming the home of the deceased in Orodo, Mbaitoli Local
Government Area of Imo State, with 50 armed policemen. The
policemen assisted Mr. Offor to break into the private room of the
deceased, ransacked the place and in the process, assaulted the
children of the former Managing Director, who are all female. In
particular, Mr. Offor slapped Akumbu Obioha, the medical doctor
daughter of the deceased, for begging him to stop beating Chiemeka
Nmesoma Joy Offor, her sister. The company, therefore, asked the
court to protect its operations and staff, saying if Mr. Offor and
the IGP are not restrained, the staff will lose their jobs and the
company will slide into insolvency.
The company further averred that its directors are now living in
fear of their lives and anxiety over its future, given the threats
and actions of Mr. Offor. According to the company, letters of
administration have not been issued in respect of the estate of the
deceased.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Thursday, gave an
order of interim injunction restraining the Inspector-General of
Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, from using his office to assist
cash-strapped government contractor, Emeka Offor, to sell off
assets of Centrepoint Network Limited, a company owned by his
deceased wife, Joy Chukwureh-Offor. The court also restrained Mr.
Offor from taking over the management of the company pending the
hearing and determination of the company’s motion on notice for
interlocutory injunction.
Hearing of the motion has been adjourned to January 19,
2018.
In the case (Suit No. FHC/L/CS/09/2018), the children of the
deceased, who are directors and shareholders of the company, asked
the court to stop the IGP, the first defendant, and officers under
his control from assisting Mr. Offor, the second defendant, to sell
properties of the company, including its office. Joined as the
third defendant is the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
In her ruling, Justice Hadiza Shagari held that there is a real
and imminent threat to the company’s existence, operations,
management and properties by Mr. Offor, who is aided by officers
and men under the IGP’s control. She equally held that there are
serious issues to be determined in the substantive suit, adding
that the parties in the suit must maintain status quo pending the
determination of the motion for interlocutory injunction.
Justice Shagari also held that the balance of convenience is in
favor of the applicants, stating that the award of compensatory
damages will be inadequate recompense if the order sought was not
granted. In an affidavit in support of its application, Centrepoint
Network Limited stated that it provides Information Technology
services to British High Commission, Argentine Embassy, American
Embassy, South African High Commission and the Ministry of Defence
among other clients. The affidavit, deposed to by Mr. Femi
Adenitire of Babajide Koku and Co, lawyers to the plaintiff, stated
that Mr. Offor had an intimate relationship to the deceased, who
was the Managing Director of Centrepoint Network Limited until her
death on October 10, 2017.
The company’s directors and shareholders at incorporation and
till date, the affidavit stated, have been the deceased and her
children, Akumbu Obioha, Sopuluchuku Offor and Nnedinma Obioha.
According to the company, the five children of the deceased are
close sisters, but Mr. Offor, who is not a director, is working to
split them so as to be able to plunder their mother’s assets.
Mr. Offor, the plaintiff averred, met with the directors and
shareholders of the company as well as other relatives of the
deceased on December 24 2017, three days after the funeral of the
late Managing Director. At the meeting, Mr. Offor declared that he
would sell all the properties of the deceased, sell all her
companies and give the proceeds to charity, irrespective of the
fact that the company is a distinct legal entity from the former
Managing Director. Mr. Offor boasted that he will use the Police to
carry out his plan, saying that he is sufficiently influential to
make the Police do his bidding.
Two days after the meeting, Mr. Offor gave teeth to his threat,
storming the home of the deceased in Orodo, Mbaitoli Local
Government Area of Imo State, with 50 armed policemen. The
policemen assisted Mr. Offor to break into the private room of the
deceased, ransacked the place and in the process, assaulted the
children of the former Managing Director, who are all female. In
particular, Mr. Offor slapped Akumbu Obioha, the medical doctor
daughter of the deceased, for begging him to stop beating Chiemeka
Nmesoma Joy Offor, her sister. The company, therefore, asked the
court to protect its operations and staff, saying if Mr. Offor and
the IGP are not restrained, the staff will lose their jobs and the
company will slide into insolvency.
The company further averred that its directors are now living in
fear of their lives and anxiety over its future, given the threats
and actions of Mr. Offor. According to the company, letters of
administration have not been issued in respect of the estate of the
deceased.