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Fashanu has now hit back by launching a £100,000 compensation case against 12 defendants, including police, claiming the ordeal left him ‘traumatised’ and unable to pursue a job as Nigeria’s national football coach
John Fashanu is on police bail after being arrested over a land dispute.
The former footballer and TV host, 62, is suspected of criminal conspiracy, threat to life, intimidation, trespass, and obtaining by false pretence in Nigeria where he now lives. Fashanu denies the claims and is suing police for £100,000 compensation.
He accuses them of violating his rights by wrongly arresting him, his wife Vivian and his lawyer Chinyere Chigbu over what he says is a civil dispute involving land. The drama began when a group of investors apparently agreed to pay him more than £500,000 for the 22-acre site. After hearing the investors had sent workmen to build a perimeter fence there, Fashanu and his lawyer investigated.
He alleged that they found the workmen being protected by police and they were both arrested after agreeing to go to a police station to sort it out. Fashanu accused officers of “arrest, detention and inhuman treatment” for “about three hours” on December 16 and “subsequent intermittent constraints of his personal liberty” up to December 19.
He also alleged wife Vivian was wrongly arrested after she went to the police station with him and that he suffered “gross unconstitutional violation” of his rights when officers seized his mobile phone. After retiring from football, Fashanu co-presented Gladiators in the 1990s with Ulrika Jonsson, and appeared on reality shows like I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!.
The ex-centre forward helped Wimbledon win the FA Cup in 1988 during an eight-year spell and also played for Aston Villa and won two England caps. Nicknamed Fash the Bash for his hardman reputation, he was the brother of Justin, Britain’s first openly gay footballer and also the first Black £1million player. He died by suicide in 1998 aged 37.
John, who was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, retained dual British and Nigerian citizenship due to his dad being born there and has lived in the capital Abuja for years. He is a well-known name there due to his football career and his work with the Nigerian FA and the government.
In 2000, he helped compile a report on corruption in the 1980s and 1990s, known as the Fashanu Report, and he also later hosted TV show Deal or No Deal Nigeria. Fashanu is claiming his arrest ordeal left him traumatised and unable to pursue a job as Nigeria’s national football coach, which he claimed he was in contention for until his arrest.
Earlier this month he appeared at a hearing of Abuja’s Federal High Court when the judge adjourned the case until April 10. Speaking about the court case Fashanu’s lawyer Chinyere Chigbu said: “The court granted the adjournment to give all the respondents enough time to file their counter affidavit. It will allow them enough time to properly file their response.”
Mr Chigbu also confirmed himself and the Fashanu’s are on bail following their arrests. He said: “All three have perfected their bail conditions. They have all met the requirements to be admitted on administrative bail by police.”
Fashanu filed the court documents using the name Ambassador Fashanu, an official title previously awarded to him by the Nigerian government in his role as a sports and tourism ambassador. He has lodged his case against 12 defendants, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police and police service commission, naming Abuja’s police commissioner, deputy commissioner, chief superintendent and deputy superintendent in the documents.
Fashanu has also named Abuja’s commissioner of police, Mr Jude Azuka, deputy commissioner of police DCP. Ogedegbe, chief superintendent of police Habib Alkali and deputy superintendent of police Mr Elvis Ibe in the documents. He has filed the court documents using the name Ambassador Fashanu, an official title previously awarded to him by the Nigerian government in his role as a sports and tourism ambassador.
The Nigeria Police Force has been asked for comment.
