Activist Petitions IGP Over Alleged Abuse Of Office By Rivers CP Adepoju In Victory Estate Land Dispute | Sahara Reporters

The petition alleged wrongful deployment of police personnel to the land dispute, enforcement of a court judgment beyond its proper scope, destruction of properties, displacement of residents and alleged use of force against residents.

A human rights activist, Onwuka Chimezie, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, seeking an independent investigation into alleged abuse of police powers and human rights violations arising from a disputed land-enforcement exercise at Victory Estate, Rumuosi, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Chimezie, through his lawyer, Prince Wayne C.E., Principal Partner of WCE & Co. Chambers, made the request in a petition dated September 30, 2026, asking the IGP to investigate Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, and other officers allegedly involved in the exercise.

The petition alleged wrongful deployment of police personnel to the land dispute, enforcement of a court judgment beyond its proper scope, destruction of properties, displacement of residents and alleged use of force against residents.

The lawyers said the allegations were supported by documents, photographs, videos, witness accounts and police records, but urged the authorities to independently verify the claims.

The dispute centres on Suit No. CCC/22/2015, involving Col. Ogwumerum Eke and another against Chief Friday Ibeabuchi Anya and others before the Customary Court, Choba.

The lawyers relied on a Police Investigation Report dated June 13, 2024, signed by DCP Aliyu Abubakar, then Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Port Harcourt.

According to the petition, the report distinguished between Agbada Esilaru farmland in Rumuagholu and Ohia Egbelu Nsumide and Ohia Egbelu Wokide in Rumuosi.

The lawyers said the report found that the 2015 case and September 9, 2019 judgment concerned Agbada Esilaru and did not cover the Rumuosi areas where the disputed enforcement allegedly took place.

They therefore asked the IGP to investigate the legal basis for police deployments to Victory Estate on August 17 and 18, 2025, including who authorised them and whether officers assisted private actors in taking possession of property outside the judgment’s scope.

They also asked for an investigation into allegations that tear gas or other force was used against residents and requested that officers allegedly involved, including ASP Marcus Gah, be identified and questioned.

The lawyers further demanded examination of the legal advice relied upon by the Rivers Police Command in authorising the April 7-8, 2025 deployment of officers to protect a court bailiff.

They also asked for preservation of deployment orders, duty rosters, station diaries, operational logs, radio communications, use-of-force records, photographs, CCTV footage and other relevant evidence.

The petition claimed that more than 5,000 families were displaced and that properties were destroyed, with preliminary claimed losses put at N178 million. The lawyers stressed that the figure was not an adjudicated award and should be independently verified.

The petition followed a September 21 statement by the Rivers Police Command denying allegations that Adepoju grabbed or facilitated the grabbing of Victory Estate land.

The Command said the allegation was “false and misleading” and maintained that the CP’s role was limited to providing security for a court bailiff after the judgment had been verified.

The police said Adepoju halted the execution after residents objected, ordered an investigation and that the subsequent investigation established that the judgment did not cover Victory Estate.

“Consequently, the execution of the judgment on the said property was considered wrongful,” the Command said.

The police also said several individuals were recommended for prosecution and that a nine-count charge, marked PHC/3683/CR/2025, was filed before the Rivers State High Court.

The lawyers behind the latest petition stressed that they were not asking the police to determine ownership of the disputed land, but to establish whether police powers were lawfully exercised.

They specifically requested that the investigation be handled by an independent unit at Force Headquarters or another command not involved in the disputed operations.

They urged the IGP to take appropriate criminal, administrative or disciplinary action if wrongdoing is established.