A High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State, has fixed July 28, 2026, for judgment in a contempt proceeding instituted against the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi John Oyeniyi, and 17 other senior police officers over alleged disobedience of court orders.

Also joined in the committal proceedings are the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Bureau (SCIID), the Officer-in-Charge of the Legal Department, CSP Gladys Ekpakuemu Imegu, and several other senior officers of the Delta State Police Command.

Presiding Judge, Justice G.B. Briki-Okolosi, fixed the date after hearing arguments from counsel to both parties and rejecting an application for adjournment filed by counsel to the respondents, Dr. R.O. Ishiguzo, who appeared alongside D.C. Patrick.

The judge expressed displeasure over what he described as repeated attempts by the respondents to delay the proceedings through serial applications for adjournment.

“Adjournments are not granted as a matter of course but at the discretion of the court. The respondents have failed to demonstrate why another adjournment should be granted, particularly when their present position conflicts with submissions made on the previous adjourned date,” Justice Briki-Okolosi ruled.

The court subsequently upheld the objection raised by applicants’ counsel, Ejike Efobi, and directed him to proceed with the matter.

The contempt proceedings, filed through Forms 48 and 49, were initiated by aggrieved members of the Sand Dealers Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Limited, based at Zion Land, Ogbeofu Beach, Cable Point, Asaba.

The applicants are seeking an order committing the police officers to prison for allegedly disobeying earlier court directives restraining them from arresting members of the cooperative and interfering with their sand dredging activities at designated beaches, including Ogbeofu Beach.

The cooperative further alleged that the police command failed to comply with a court order directing the Commissioner of Police to deploy mobile policemen to protect the disputed dredging sites covered by a writ of possession in Suit No. FHC/B/CE/127/2000 involving Mr. Kutty O.C. Essumai and the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, pending the determination of a substantive application for the enforcement of their fundamental rights.

Among officers listed in the committal proceedings are ASP Denis Otunyo, Godwin Uangbaoje, ASP Akinyemi Apu, CSP Muhammad Balarabe Ibrahim, ASP Moses Davis, Inspectors Chiefu Eboagwu, Monday Imala, Monday Adebamen, and the Area Commander, Asaba, Alex Udenze.

At the centre of the dispute is a long-running conflict over rights to dredge sand along the Asaba axis of the River Niger creek, a dispute that has reportedly led to violence and fatalities.

Leaders of the cooperative, including David Opene, popularly known as Jah Dave, Kutty Esumai and Raymond Adams, accused the Delta State Police Command of allegedly refusing to arrest and prosecute officials and persons linked to the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development over alleged disruptions of their operations.

They further alleged that instead of providing protection as ordered by the court in Suit No. FHC/B/CS/287/2003, the police had allegedly arrested, detained and prosecuted members of the cooperative while shielding individuals allegedly responsible for violent attacks on their dredging sites.

The applicants claimed that four of their members were allegedly killed during the invasions and that suspects connected with the attacks had not been prosecuted.

The cooperative also alleged that despite directives reportedly issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police through the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 5, Benin City, directing the re-arrest and prosecution of those involved in the attacks and killings, the Delta State Police Command failed to act.

During proceedings, counsel to the respondents argued that the contempt action should be dismissed on the grounds that there was no evidence showing that CP Oyeniyi and the other respondents were personally served with Forms 48 and 49.

However, counsel to the applicants, Mr. Efobi, maintained that there was no evidence before the court indicating that the court processes, served in accordance with previous orders of the court, did not reach the respondents.

He therefore urged the court to dismiss the objections raised by the police officers and grant the reliefs sought by the applicants, including their committal to prison for alleged disobedience of valid court orders.

The Judge, therefore, fixed judgement in the matter on July 28, 2026.