By Etop Ekanem

Justice G. E. Akperi of High Court No. 2, Warri, in Warri Judicial Division, has ordered Delta State Government and one Boro Opudu, 1st and 2nd defendants in Suit No. W/354/2014, to, by themselves and privies, stop forthwith, any activity or transfer of title on a parcel of land by NPA pending determination of substantive suit.

The applicants/claimants, Chief Asset Egbejule, Mr Job Lawei and two others, had through their counsel, R. A. Ekpe, among others, sought an “interlocutory injunction restraining the 2nd defendant/respondent by himself, his servants, workmen, agents, and/or privies or otherwise howsoever from further entering, remaining on, confiscating, erecting structures, depositing granite, sharp sand, assigning/conveying/transferring to third parties and or/anything on the claimants/applicants’ piece or parcel of land pending the determination of substantive suit.”

The land, which situates along Warri/Sapele Road, opposite Miller Waterside by NPA Bypass, is bounded by Warri/Sapele Road to the North, Ugbori creeks to the East, NPA Bypass to the West and Sach Oil Filling Station on the South.

In the order made available to newsmen by the applicants, the court said “in the circumstances, the balance of convenience and the need to maintain the status quo enure in favour of the applicants.”

Justice Akperi, therefore, ordered the defendants (Delta State Government and Boro Opudu) to abide by the applicants’ prayer pending the determination of substantive suit and adjourned the case till June 6, 2018 for pre-trial conference.