A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri has ordered the arrest of five officials serving under Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State over alleged contempt of court.

The affected officials were identified as Mrs Josephine Udoji, Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr Lawrence Eburuoh, the Commissioner for Lands, Survey, and Urban Planning and Dr Chibuzor Iwuagwu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works. Others are Mr. C. E. Egbuka, the Director of Works, Ministry of Works and Mr Emeka Duru, the Director of Works Imo State Government House, Owerri.

Justice Lewis Alagoa, who presided over the civil suit number FHC/OW/133/2016 filed by a former Interior Minister, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, against Imo Government, gave the order on Monday due to the absence of all the defendants in court.

Iheanacho had gone to court over the demolition of part of his property on Orlu Road in Owerri Urban by construction workers engaged for road expansion by the state government.

The judge ordered the Inspector-General of Police and his men to arrest the officials wherever they were sighted across the country.

The court had during its sitting on November 14, 2016, summoned all the affected officials to appear before it on December 8, 2016, but none of them showed up.

Counsel to the Defendants, Mrs J. C. Ibe, told the court that the respondents had filed an appeal against the earlier order of the court.

According to him, notices of the appeal and stay of proceeding, notice of preliminary objection and affidavit contesting the contempt order against the respondents had been served on the claimant.

However, Counsel to the plaintiff, Chief Ken Njemanze (SAN), said that his client was not aware of any appeal by the respondents as claimed by their counsel.

“What is discouraging to us in this suit my Lord, is the intentional act of frustrating progress in the suit by the defendants,” he claimed.

Alagoa, after hearing the arguments of the counsels, made the subsequent order and fixed May 2 for continuation of the matter.