A Lagos State High Court has barred Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, the daughter of All Progressives Congress leader, Bola Tinubu, from imposing levies on traders at the Computer Village, Lagos.
The development comes over a year after Tinubu-Ojo, who is also the Iyaloja-General of Lagos State reportedly imposed leaders on the traders who then introduced new levies, a development which sparked a series of protests at the Computer Village.
Others who were similarly barred from imposing levies include: Mrs. Bisola Azeez, Mr. Adeniyi Olasoji, Nofiu Akinsanya, Tony Ikani and the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State.
The order is sequel to a fundamental human rights suit marked ID/9039MFHR/19 instituted towards the 5 respondents by using the 5 predominant stakeholders that constitute the traders on the Computer Village.
The stakeholders representing the traders consist of: The Registered Trustees of Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria; Registered Trustees of Phone and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria; and Registered Trustees of Phone Parts and Accessories Dealers Association of Nigeria.
Other candidates encompass: the Registered Trustees of Association of Caterers, Food and Drinks Vendors of Ogunbiyi Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos; Registered Trustees of Ikeja Books, Stationeries and Computer Association and Azeez Olunrin.
The judgment, which became delivered by using Justice Yetunde Pinheiro read in part, “I locate that the second and third respondents’ imposition of levies on the applicants is unlawful, null and void and consequently amounts to a contravention of their fundamental rights.
“Accordingly, it's far hereby ordered as accordingly: The first to fifth respondents by themselves, agents, levy creditors howsoever known as are confined from imposing levies and/or fines at the contributors of the 1st to 5th candidates on the Ikeja Computer Village inside the Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State.”
In a letter titled, ‘Dear members, Our Court Victory against Iyaloja and Babaloja and Others in Computer Village, Ikeja’, the leadership of the Computer Village had a good time over the judgment.
In the letter signed by its Chairman and Secretary-General, Timi Famoroti and Jerry Mba respectively, contributors were requested not to pay tax to Tinubu’s daughter or her representatives.
It read in part, “The implications of this landmark judgement is that the Iyaloja General, Chief Mrs. Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, Mrs. Bisola Azeez, And Mr. Olasoji Adeniyi or their representatives or marketers cannot collect any shape of dues, levies or fines from the individuals of Ikeja Computer Village Market. Any collection in this regard is illegal.
“We therefore urge you not to publish yourself to any shape of price, intimidation and extortion. It is your right to defend your self and record on your leaders in case there's a contravention of your essential human rights.
“Please ensure you record with concrete evidence and report any breach of your proper in your leaders. This will assist our criminal motion/s in opposition to any violators when necessary. We consequently urge each member to preserve to pay your agreed dues to your diverse institutions consequently.”
Traders had been also recommended to pay their private and agency profits, taxes, levies and others to the ideal authorities businesses at the country wide, country and local governments whilst due.
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