High Court orders arrest of State Police CP over land dispute
High Court orders arrest of State Police CP over land dispute
In a stunning turn of events, the state’s commissioner of police has been issued an arrest warrant by the Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa for his noncompliance with a court order.
The decision follows a protracted legal dispute between the Yenizue-gene community and a disputed Assamese land plot that is presently under the control of Operation Doo-Akpo, the state security agency.
The legal dispute traces its origins back to November 26, 2016, when the court issued a ruling in suit number YHC/210/2014, reaffirming a decision from the Court of Appeal in 2018 under suit number CA/PH/170/2018. The court’s verdict favored nine families from the Yenizue-gene community, including the Fabiri, Ayoko, Aku, Ugbon, Obediah, Sampson, and Boye families, granting them ownership rights over the land.
Despite this ruling, the Commissioner of Police allegedly ignored the court’s directive, prompting the claimants to initiate committal proceedings in 2022. The Commissioner’s continued noncompliance and refusal to appear in court, or challenge the decisions legally, led to the latest development.
In a press briefing held on Friday, Ukunbiriowei Saiyou, the lead counsel for the claimants, confirmed that the court issued the arrest order on December 27, 2024, under the authority of Honourable Justice R. Ajuwa. He emphasized that the police had not only neglected to adhere to the judgment but also failed to participate in the legal process altogether.
Saiyou further called on the Inspector General of Police to intervene, ensuring the Bayelsa Commissioner of Police complies with the June 10, 2021, ruling from the Court of Appeal, or face further legal consequences, including arrest.
