A High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has sentenced the State Commissioner of Police to prison
The order originated from a prior ruling delivered on November 26, 2016, in suit number YHC/210/2014, which upheld a Court of Appeal decision related to appeal suit number CA/PH/170/2018.
Mr. Francis Idu is the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police.
Idu was sentenced to jail for failing to comply with a court order.
The ruling favoured the nine families of the Yenizue-gene community in a dispute over a parcel of land in Asam, currently used as the operational base for the state-owned security agency, Operation Doo-Akpo.
The families involved are the Fabiri, Ayoko, Aku, Ugbon, and Obediah families, along with the Sampson and Boye families of the Yenizue-gene community in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
During a press briefing, the lead counsel for the Claimants, Barrister Ukunbiriowei Saiyou, confirmed that the court order to imprison the Commissioner of Police was issued following a ruling by the presiding judge, Honorable Justice R. Ajuwa, on December 27, 2024.
He mentioned that the claimants initiated committal proceedings against the Commissioner of Police back in 2022 due to his noncompliance with a court ruling.
The police have neither appeared for proceedings nor challenged the various decisions of the court. The application for committal was formally addressed in 2024, leading to the court’s decision to incarcerate the Commissioner.
The Inspector General of Police has been urged to take action to ensure the Commissioner of Police of Bayelsa State Command complies with the judgments issued by the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt on June 10, 2021, or face potential arrest.
Barrister Saiyou highlighted that since Saipem vacated the parcel of land in Asam, located along Elebele-Opolo Road and currently housing Operation Doo-Akpo, the nine families have been unlawfully denied possession of their property.
He noted that the police and Operation Doo-Akpo have occupied the land without the consent of the families, prompting the legal action. The Bayelsa State High Court ruled in favour of the families, a decision later reaffirmed by the Court of Appeal.
In a joint statement, representatives of the nine families, Chief Honest Boye Wilson and Hon. Manager Fabiri, voiced their concerns regarding the unlawful use of their land.
They emphasised their commitment to remaining peaceful and law-abiding citizens, refraining from public demonstrations against either the state government or the police.
