Court Restrains 11 In Rivers Community

A Port Harcourt High Court in Rivers State, presided over by Justice A.C. Woryi has slammed a perpetual restraining order on Chief Bourdillon Allen Ekine, Allioma Brown, Igba Jonathan and eight others from parading themselves as chiefs in Belema Community in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state.
The case was between Chief Ibinabo Karlaoriye and five others as plaintiffs and Chief Bourdillon Allen Ekine and 10 others as defendants, with suit number, PHC/2380/2000, contending over the leadership of Belema Community under the traditional Oko stool.
Delivering  judgement on the matter, the court declared that Chief Ekine, the first defendant in the suit, lacked the competence to parade himself as the occupant of the Oko royal stool in Belema community in AKULGA or install any person as chief in the community.
The court also upheld the Belema Council of Chiefs and Elders led by HRH Ibiriabo Kalaoriye as the authentic leadership of Belema community and declared that “any purported installation of the 2nd and 9th defendants as chiefs in Belema is null and void and of no effect what- soever”.
The judgement further stated:  “the N9m received by the 1st and 3rd defendants as compensation for the acquisition of the way of leave for Belema Associated Gas Gathering Project from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Nig Ltd is for the benefit of Belema Community and its diversion and conversion  by the 1st and 3rd defendants is wrongful and should be properly accounted for”.
The court put a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, “particularly the 1st, 2nd and 11th defendants from holding themselves out in whatever capacity as representing Belema community or transacting any business with third parties in particular, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Delta Hre Bengous Nigeria (DBN) Dredging Internationals Dacion Nigeria Limited, among others on behalf Belema community without the authority and consent of the plaintiff and Belema community”.

Taneh Beemene