Leadership tussle: Court orders detention of 9 community leaders in Delta

The Ughelli North Area Customary Court in Delta State, on Thursday, ordered the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ughelli A Division of the Nigerian Police Force to arrest and detain for seven days, nine leaders of Ufuoma Community for contempt of court order.

This is following a case with suit No UNCC/505/2019, brought to it by Comrade Edwin Akpokire, instituted against Chief Moses Erador and seven others over Community leadership tussle, and according to the Court enrollment order signed by an Asst Chief Registrar, Mr. Christian Ihrieroma and made available to journalists in Asaba.

The order read:” Upon the admission of Mr. Augustine Akpobome, Mr. Godfrey Etabuko, Mr. Francis Otaleko, Mr. Abel Emekpe, Mr. Stephen Ejiyere, Mr. Ufuoma Asakpa, Mr. Peter Izobo, Mr. Orokata Michael, and Mr. Adere, that they participated in the OCDU Election held on 26th day of February, 2020 at the Ovie Palace that was conducted by His Royal Highness of Ughelli in conjunction with the President General of UDU in contempt of the order of this Court which directed parties to maintain the status quo by not conducting any election into the UDU pending the determination of plaintiff’s petition on notice for Interlocutory Injunction and after hearing counsel for the parties, hereby ordered as follows “the above named persons should be detained for seven days at Ughelli North Divisional Police station till they purge themselves of the contemptuous behaviour for flouting the order of this Court.

“Accordingly, the Divisional Police Officer is hereby ordered to detain all the above contemptuous for seven days at the Ughelli North Divisional Police station with effect from the 17th day of March, 2020, where any of the above named persons is not in court, the persons that are in court now are to remain in the police custody until they purge themselves of the contempt”.

The case was adjourned to April 22, 2020 for hearing.