Court Asks IGP, CP To Explain Reasons Of Council Secretariats Closure In Rivers State

In Rivers State, the Nigerian Police has continued to occupy secretariats of the 23 Local Government Areas.

This has been on since the 17th June 2024 when the tenure of the former chairmen elapsed.

But a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, on Friday demanded to know the rationale.

The court presided over by Justice Mohammed Turaki, ordered the Commissioner of Police (CP) in Rivers State, Olatunji Disu, and the Inspector General of Police(IGP), Kayode Ebetokun, to appear before it.

Their appearance will enable the court to obtain explanations as to why the police have continued to occupy the Secretariats of the 23 Local Government Areas in Rivers State.

This action of the Court is sequel to a suit that was instituted and brought before it by a Non-Governmental Organization, Initiative for Transparent Strategy and Good Leadership.

The NGO approached the Court over the police’s continuous occupation of the 23 Local Government Area Councils and the need for them to vacate to allow governance to thrive at that level.

So, the court directed, in an exparte application, that the NGO should put the IGP, the CP, and the Attorney General of the Federation on notice.

Also, the Court asked the NGO and RUFUS JOSHUA to put on notice the State Governor, Siminialayi Fubara, Head of Service of the state, who is the second set of defendants in the expert application.

The presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Turaki, said the notice to the defendants to appear before the court is for them to explain why the expert order should not be issued against them.

Even if Justice Turaki had earlier granted an application for a summon to hear the suit on vacation, he adjourned the case to the 16th of August, 2024, to hear the motion on notice.

Outside the courtroom, counsel to the applicant, Solomon Tamuno explained that his clients are in court to restrain the Nigerian police from their continuous barricade of the council Secretariat.

Tamuno said the occupation of the LGA secretariats has hindered Rivers indigenes from applying for employment opportunities released by the state government.