N649m Debt: Court Orders IGP To Appear Within 42 Days
The Bayelsa State High Court in Nembe, on Wednesday, ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to appear before it within 42 days in connection with a N649m accommodation debt suit.
Justice T. Y. Abasi demanded the appearance of the IGP, in the suit filed by Mr Darius Obienem, the owner of Euphemie Motel in Opu-Nembe, Bayelsa.
The court threatened that failure of the IGP and the two other respondents, the Nigerian Police and the Police Service Commission, to make an appearance, personally or through legal practitioner, judgement would be entered in their absence.
Obienem in his suit alleged that the respondents refused to settle the accommodation debt incurred by the Police SWAT team deployed from August 12, 2023 to October 3, 2024 in Opu-Nembe community.
The SWAT team had allegedly occupied the Motel, turning it into their operational base without due permission of the owners, after being drafted to the area on the request of Mr Timipre Sylva, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, who was the governorship flag bearer of APC in the 2023 general elections.
The claimant prayed the court to declare as illegal the action by the defendants to forcefully enter and take over the entire claimant’s business premises on August 12, 2023.
“A declaration that the claimants are entitled to the sum of N25,000 per night per room for rooms contained therein from the August 12, 2023 to 3rd of October, 2024 when the defendants vacated the claimant’s premises.
“A declaration that the claimant is entitled to the sum of N100,000 only per conference hall per day for the three conference halls contained therein from the August 12, 2023 to October 3, 2024 when the defendant’s vacated the claimant’s business premises.
“A declaration that the claimants are entitled to the sum of N649m for the period between August 12, 2023 and October 3, 2024,” read part of the reliefs sought by the claimant.
He therefore asked the court to order the defendants to pay the sum of N649m as debt incurred during the period and an additional N200m for damages as result of their forceful entry and revenue loss.
N649m Debt: Court Orders IGP To Appear Within 42 Days is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
