RIVERS POLICE REJECT ALLEGATION THAT COMMISSIONER TOOK OVER COMMUNITY LAND

The Rivers State Police Command has rejected allegations that the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, was involved in grabbing or facilitating the takeover of land belonging to residents of Victory Estate in Rumuosi Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. The command described the allegation as false and misleading while responding to a social media video and a protest by residents and members of the Rumuosi Council of Chiefs, who had called for an investigation into the matter.

The controversy dates back to March 6, 2025, when Adepoju received an application from lawyer O. S. Obior, acting for Kirigust Global Resources Nigeria Limited, requesting police protection for a court bailiff carrying out a judgment in Suit No. CCC/22/2015. The command said the request was referred to its relevant departments for verification, after which the Customary Court in Choba confirmed on March 21, 2025, that the judgment was valid and that there was no pending appeal or order stopping its execution.

Based on the legal advice received, police personnel were deployed on April 7 and 8, 2025, to provide security for the bailiff, with specific instructions that the officers should not physically participate in executing the judgment. However, residents of Victory Estate objected during the exercise, arguing that although they did not dispute the validity of the judgment, the land covered by the judgment was located in Rumuagholu Community and did not include their property in Victory Estate, Rumuosi. The police said Adepoju immediately stopped the execution and directed its legal section to investigate the conflicting claims.

The command said relevant parties were invited to present their positions, while officers visited the disputed location and obtained photographs of damaged properties. It also obtained the certified copy of the judgment and the disputed survey plan from the Customary Court and forwarded the documents to the Surveyor-General of Rivers State for verification. According to the police, the Surveyor-General subsequently confirmed that the area covered by the survey was within Rumuagholu Community and did not extend to Victory Estate, Rumuosi, leading the command to conclude that the execution of the judgment on the disputed property was wrongful.

The police maintained that Adepoju neither acquired nor took possession of any land belonging to the residents, stressing that his involvement was limited to providing security for the court bailiff after the judgment had been verified. The command also noted that a separate suit, PHC/1467/FHR/2026, involving the police and other parties, is before the Rivers State High Court and said it would allow the court to determine the issues before it. It further warned officers against participating in land-related enforcement without proper authorisation and urged members of the public to seek legal redress in court over civil land disputes.