Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Nembe on Wednesday ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to appear before it within 42 days over a suit on N649 million accommodation debt allegedly incurred by the police.
The suit was filed by the owner of Euphemie Motel in Opu-Nembe, Bayelsa, Darius Obienem.
Justice T. Y. Abasi threatened that failure of the IGP and the two other respondents; the Nigeria Police and the Police Service Commission to make an appearance, personally or through legal representatives, judgement would be entered in their absence.
Mr Obienem filed the suit over an alleged refusal of the respondents to settle the accommodation debt incurred by the Police SWAT team deployed from August 12, 2023, to October 3, 2024, in Opu-Nembe.
The SWAT team deployed to the Opu Nembe community had allegedly occupied the motel, turning it into their operational base without the due permission of the owners.
The SWAT team was allegedly drafted to the area at the request of Timipre Sylva, former minister of state for petroleum resources and the governorship flagbearer of APC in the 2023 general elections.
The claimant prayed the court for a declaration that the defendants’ forceful takeover of his entire business premises on August 12, 2023 was illegal.
