By Ovie Okpare
A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has ordered an immediate halt to dredging and sand-winning activities at four locations in Uvwie and Ughelli over alleged unauthorised extraction of sand and obstruction of inland waterways in the state.
Justice Hyeladzira Ajiya Nganjiwa granted the order on Wednesday in a suit No. FHC/WR/CS/210/2026 , an ex parte application filed by National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) against Mr Michael Agaren and seven other dredgers.
The affected locations are behind Peace Mass Transit Park, off Effurun-Sapele Road, Uvwie; beside Agbarho Bridge along the Ughelli-Effurun Expressway; Enerhen Road, Uvwie; and near Ugbolokposo Modern Market, Uvwie.
The order restrains the defendants, whether acting personally or through their agents, employees, representatives or any other persons, from obstructing inland waterways with dredgers, barges and other equipment, as well as excavating, removing or dredging sand, gravel and stones without the requisite legal authorisation.
The court’s order will remain in force pending the hearing and determination of NIWA’s motion on notice seeking an interlocutory injunction.
NIWA, through its legal team led by Kunle Edun, SAN, with Faith Anigboro and Kenneth Ebah, argued that the defendants had been extracting sand from the affected waterways mechanically without the authority’s consent or licence.
The authority also accused the operators of obstructing waterways with dredgers and related equipment, allegedly exceeding the prescribed maximum dredging depth of five metres and operating without the required Environmental Impact Assessment.
NIWA linked uncontrolled dredging activities by the defendants to the recent collapse of a section of the East-West Road at Agbarho, saying the development prompted the Delta State Ministry of Environment to issue a stop-work notice to the operators.
The application was brought pursuant to the National Inland Waterways Authority Act, the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019 and the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
Reacting to the judgement, NIWA described the injunction as a judicial reprieve from activities it said threatened the nation’s inland waterways, navigation safety and the environment.
The authority warned that dredging and sand-winning operations on inland waterways cannot be undertaken without its authorisation, urging all operators affected by the order to comply fully.
NIWA said the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigeria Police had been notified and would assist in ensuring compliance and enforcement of the court interim injunction against the defendants.
The authority maintained that it would continue to deploy lawful measures to protect inland waterways from what it described as reckless dredging and to safeguard navigational routes.
