A State High Court in Nembe, Bayelsa State, on Wednesday ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to appear before it within 42 days in connection with a N649 million accommodation debt suit.

The judge, T. Y. Abasi, demanded Mr Egbetokun’s appearance following the suit filed by Darius Obienem, the owner of Euphemie Motel in Opu-Nembe, Bayelsa.

The court threatened that if the IGP and the two other respondents—the Nigeria Police and the Police Service Commission—failed to appear personally or through a legal practitioner, judgment would be entered in their absence.

The hotel owner, Mr Obienem, had filed a suit over the respondents’ alleged refusal to settle the accommodation debt incurred by the Police SWAT team deployed from 12 August 2023 to 3 October 2024 in Opu-Nembe.
The SWAT team deployed to the Opu Nembe community had allegedly occupied the hotel, 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 APC’s governorship flagbearer in the 2023 elections.

The claimant prayed the court for a declaration that the defendants forcefully entered and allegedly took over the entire claimant’s business premises on 12 August 2023 as illegal.

Other declarations sought by the claimant are as follows:

“A declaration that the claimants are entitled to the sum of N25,000 per night per room for rooms contained therein from the 12th of August, 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 12th of August, 2023 to 3rd of October, 2024 when the defendant’s vacated the claimant’s business premises.

“A declaration that the claimants are entitled to the sum of N649,450,000 for the period between 12th of August, 2023 and 3rd of October, 2024.”

“An order of this court mandating the defendants to pay the defendant’s the sum of N649,450,000 for the period between 12th of August, 2023 to 3rd of October, 2024.

“And the sum of N200,000,000 against the defendants for the damages done to the claimant as result of their forceful entry and occupying same for a period well over 13 months and loss of revenue accruing from bar and restaurant,” he said.