A Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa has sentenced the State Commissioner of Police, Alonyenu Francis Iduh, to prison for failing to comply with a court order regarding a land dispute involving the Yenizue-gene community in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
The court’s decision follows a previous ruling on November 26, 2016, in suit number YHC/210/2014, which upheld a Court of Appeal judgment (CA/PH/170/2018) in favour of the nine families from Yenizue-gene.
The families had contested the unlawful occupation of a parcel of land in Asam, currently used as the operational base for the state-owned security agency, “Operation Doo-Akpo.”
During a press briefing, Ukunbiriowei Saiyou, the lead counsel for the claimants, confirmed that the sentence came after repeated noncompliance by the Commissioner of Police, who had refused to appear in court or comply with earlier rulings.
The claimants initiated committal proceedings in 2022, with the matter reaching a verdict on December 27, 2024, when the court ordered Iduh’s imprisonment.
The families, which include the Fabiri, Ayoko, Aku, Ugbon, Obediah, Sampson, and Boye families, have faced years of unlawful occupation of their property by the police and Operation Doo-Akpo.
The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt had affirmed the families’ rights to the land in 2021.
Representatives of the families, Chief Honest Boye Wilson and Hon. Manager Fabiri, expressed their discontent with the continued occupation of the land and reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful resolution, avoiding any public demonstrations against the authorities.
The Inspector General of Police has been urged to ensure that Iduh adheres to court judgments, or face further legal consequences.
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