In a dramatic turn of events, a Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa has issued an arrest warrant for the state’s Commissioner of Police for his failure to comply with a court order.
The ruling comes after a long-standing legal battle involving the Yenizue-gene community and a contested parcel of land in Asam, currently occupied by the state’s security agency, Operation Doo-Akpo.
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.
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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.
