The police in Imo State have assured of their readiness to arrest the fleeing two commissioners and four other government functionaries for whom a bench warrant was recently issued by a Federal High Court sitting in the state capital, Owerri.

Justice Lewis Allagoa had on March 14 issued a warrant for the arrest of the affected government officials on a matter involving Ex-Interior Minister, Captain Emma

Iheanacho (retd.), and the State Government as contained in suit No

FHC/OW/CS/133/2016, over the demolition of his property located at Orlu Road, Owerri.

The affected government officials are Josephine Udorji, Commissioner for Works and Transport; Lawrence Eburuoh, Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning; Nwaogu Chidiebere, General Manager, Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA); Emeka Duru, Head of Department (Works) Government House; Chibuzor Iwuagwu of Power and Housing; and C. E Egbuka, a Director in the Ministry of Works and Transport.

While ordering the police to produce the persons before him on May 2, 2017, for report on bench warrant, the judge said that the affected persons refused to appear before the court to answer to the issue of the disobedience of the order of the court to stop the demolition of Iheanacho’s property, until the determination of the matter.

Speaking with this reporter on issues regarding the order of the court, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, vowed to arrest the affected persons if served.

Lakanu said: “I have not been served the court order. As a lawyer and a Commissioner of Police, I cannot go against an order of a court of competent jurisdiction. Once I am served, I will arrest the contemnors.”

On the allegation that he had been served, the CP challenged his accusers to make public the proof of service that the court order had been served him or his office.

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