A faction of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria
(IPMAN), Aba Depot, Abia State have beaten up a court bailiff, David Abiye
attached to the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State over
attempts to serve Notice of consequence of disobedience to court order
known as form 48 to some members of the group.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt had
on March 20, 2014, declared one Chief Lawson Obasi as the authentic
national president of IPMAN.
As a result of the judgment, Chief Obasi was said to have appointed
Lawrence Kanu, Emmanuel Ogbonna among others as interim Committee members
to run IPMAN, Aba depot for three months till election are held.
Not satisfied with the judgment, the faction led by Chinedu Okoronkwo and
Gilbert Nwoke who were the immediate past office holders refused to abide
with the court order to vacate office and hand over to the Obasi group.
The Obasi returned to the Federal High Court and obtained an order for
service of notice of consequence of disobedience to court on the
opposition group.
On arriving Aba on that fateful day, the court bailiff was said to have
served the first set of people the notice without difficult.
A former executive member of the Association told Pointblanknews.com that
attempts to serve the remaining set of people on the second day proved
abortive until the court bailiff was informed that the people he was meant
to serve the court order were enjoying themselves in a hotel said to be
owned by a member of the opposition group.
The court bailiff was said to have stormed the hotel to effect the service
on the people, but he was beaten up with serious injuries while his
identity card seized.
The opposition group later invited soldiers from the Army Unit at Ngwa
High School, Aba who also continued beating the court bailiff alleging
that he was a kidnapper. After a while, he was transferred to the police
in Aba where he was allegedly detained.
When a member of the Obasi group got wind of the incident and went to the
police station to identify David as a bailiff of Federal High Court, Port
Harcourt, but was also arrested by the police as both men were bundled to
State vpolice headquarters at Umuahia until Friday evening when the
Commissioner of Police ordered their release.
As at the time of filing this report, the court bailiff was said to be
receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt.
A leading member of the opposition group at the Aba depot, Simple Nwankpa
said the bailiff was beaten up by the hotel management, not his members
as being said..
“The problem was between the bailiff and the hotel management, IPMAN
should be counted out of this”, he said.
Contacted on his mobile number, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of
the Abia State Command, ASP Geoffrey Ogbonna said he does not have any
information about the incident .