A High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has sentenced the State Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, to prison for failing to comply with a court order regarding the use of community land.
The court’s directive stemmed from a ruling delivered on November 26, 2016, in suit number YHC/210/2014, which reaffirmed an earlier decision by the Court of Appeal in appeal suit number CA/PH/170/2018. The ruling favored nine families from the Yenizue-Gene community in a long-standing dispute over a piece of land in Asam, which is currently being used as the operational base for the state-owned security outfit, Operation Doo-Akpo.
The families involved in the case include the Fabiri, Ayoko, Aku, Ugbon, and Obediah families, along with the Sampson and Boye families, all from Yenizue-Gene in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
During a press briefing, Barrister Ukunbiriowei Saiyou, the lead counsel for the claimants, confirmed that Honorable Justice R. Ajuwa issued the order to imprison the Commissioner of Police on December 27, 2024. According to him, the claimants had initiated committal proceedings against the police commissioner in 2022 due to his failure to comply with the court’s judgment.
Despite multiple rulings in favor of the families, the police failed to appear before the court or challenge the decisions. After reviewing the case again in 2024, the court ultimately ordered the commissioner’s imprisonment.
The Inspector General of Police has now been urged to take action to ensure that the Bayelsa State Police Command complies with the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt on June 10, 2021. Failure to do so could lead to further legal consequences, including the potential arrest of the Commissioner of Police.
Barrister Saiyou also pointed out that since Saipem vacated the land in Asam, located along Elebele-Opolo Road, the nine families have been denied access to their property. He emphasized that the police and Operation Doo-Akpo have continued to occupy the land without the families’ consent, which led to the ongoing legal battle.
The Bayelsa State High Court had ruled in favor of the families, and this decision was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal.
Speaking on behalf of the affected families, Chief Honest Boye Wilson and Hon. Manager Fabiri condemned the continued occupation of their land, describing it as unlawful. However, they assured that they would remain peaceful and law-abiding, choosing legal channels over public protests against the state government and the police.
When contacted for a response, the spokesperson for the Bayelsa State Police Command, ASP Musa Mohammed, stated: “The Bayelsa Police Command is not aware of this. But if you have the court document, please kindly send it to me on WhatsApp for proper findings.”
For more updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VabITrvEAKW7DSkTfP0J