Bank Manager Arrested For Ordering The Destruction Of Her Husband’s Factory

                                                                    File photo

Twelve suspected thugs have been arrested and charged before
Isolo Magistrates’ court for their alleged involvement in the demolition of a
furniture factory in Ajao Estate, Lagos State, western Nigeria.

The police at Ajao Estate division have also arrested a bank
manager, Mrs Blessing Okpoko in connection with the pulling down of the factory
owned by her husband, Ifeanyi Okpoko.

P.m.News gathered that the couple had been at loggerheads
and had gone to a Lagos High Court seeking for the dissolution of their
13-year-old marriage that produced three daughters.

The couple in their petition are accusing each other of
infidelity and constant quarreling which resulted in the divorce suit at the
court.

The suit was still pending at the court when the thugs
invaded the factory kown as Multicraft Interior located at 14, Alhaji Lukeman
Atobajeun Street, Ajao Estate and pulled down the structure.

Items worth millions of naira were also destroyed during the
demolition exercise.

While the demolition was going on, Ifeanyi contacted the
DPO, CSP Ade Adedeji who mobilised his men and arrested the thugs.

The police also recovered a bus and instruments allegedly
used in cutting the iron rods used in building the factory.

Narrating what happened, Ifeanyi said he was in the house
when his workers phoned and informed him that three Air Force officers with
arms and thugs invaded the factory and chased them away and started demolishing
the structure.

He said he contacted the DPO who sent his men there, adding
that before they got there, they had destroyed the structure and damaged his
machines.

He said the Air Force officers escaped while the suspects
were arrested and detained at Ajao Station.

He said the property was subject of litigation at the high
court and the court was yet to decide the matter before the demolition.

Ifeanyi said he was not given any prior notice of demolition
from any quarters or court.

At the station, Blessing told our correspondent that she
contracted those who went to demolish the place because the land was not in
dispute and as such belonged to her.

She said she went to Alausa and obtained the necessary
documents for the demolition and she has documents which showed she owns the
land. She said she was surprised when she went to the station and saw that
those who went to the place to demolish it were suspected thugs which was
contrary to the agreement with those she gave the contract to demolish the
place.

She also said there was no court order to demolish the place
except the one she obtained from Alausa.

However, the court documents obtained by our reporter
indicated that the land was listed among other properties to be determined by
the court in the divorce suit.

The suspected thugs have been charged to court while
Blessing was yet to charged to court pending the conclusion of further
investigation.