By festus ahon
DELTA State High Court of Justice, sitting at Oleh, Wednesday ordered the release of Mr Clement Oyibo (Baku), Ese Okogba, Oriona Ekrebe and Ekrebe Oghenechoja by the police in zone 5, Benin city, Edo State, who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the protracted Irri crisis.

The court also ordered the police not to arrest Chief Eloho Jacko,  Mr. Gabriel Empire,  Chief Pius Otuaga and Chief Simon Odhomor,  Mr. Felix Olokor,    Mr. Obi Goldpin, Mr. Oyibo Emmanuel,  Mr. Orahemor Adigheji, Mr. Mathew Offe, Mr. Okpowo Othuke, Mr. Ubuwere Idonis, Mr. Rueben Izeghe, Mr. Ese Okogba, Mr. Oriona Ekrebe, Mr. Ekrebe Oghenejoja and Mr. Otugbe.

The presiding judge, Justice F.O Oho, said the order was, “In view of this position, in which the 1st and 2nd respondents have decided to disobey the orders of the court made on the 4th day of August 2011.”

Oho said all the applicants should be releases with the next 72 hours and ordered the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, zone 5 to personally appear in court to explain why they should not they should not be “cited for contempt of this court’s orders- at the next adjourned date.

This case is adjourned to the 6th day of October, 2011 for hearing. Irri women last week protested the arrest and harassment of their husbands and children by the police.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the arrested persons and those being hunted by the police are witnesses in the murder charge and other charges against Mr Joshua Uturu and others by government.