By Ovie Okpare
The Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, has threatened to commit the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi SAN, to prison over alleged disobedience to an order directing the immediate release of five applicants in the protracted Okuama community legal battle.
The court, in a Form 48 notice titled “Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Order of Court”, warned the Attorney-General that failure to comply with its directive would constitute contempt of court and could attract imprisonment.
The notice specifically demands obedience to the June 10, 2026, order of Justice H.A. Nganjiwa directing the release of the first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth applicants in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/42/2024.
A copy of the Notice to the AGF dated Wednesday November 11, 2026, was obtained by our correspondent on Sunday in Asaba, the state capital.
The applicants, which the court ordered their immediate release, are Professor Arthur Ekpekpo, Mr James Oghoroko, Hon. Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mr Dennis Okugbaye and Ms Mabel Owhemu.
The suit has the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Armed Forces of the Federation, the Honourable Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th respondents respectively.
The order was made in an application brought by the six applicants for themselves and on behalf of the people of Okuama community in Ewu Kingdom, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
In the June 10 ruling, Justice Nganjiwa expressly directed the respondents to release the five applicants from detention forthwith, insisting that the order be served on all respondents and complied with immediately.
The Form 48 notice, addressed to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Federal Government of Nigeria, Armed Forces of the Federation, Minister of Defence and Chief of Defence Staff, warned:
“Take notice that unless you obey the injunction contained in the Court Order overleaf for the immediate release of the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th applicants from detention, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”
The latest development places the Federal Government under fresh judicial pressure over the detention of Okuama community members following the military crisis that engulfed the community in March 2024.
The court action is coming following the arrest of the applicants, including a lecturer at the Delta State University, Abraka, and President-General of Ewu Kingdom, Professor Arthur Ekpekpo, on August 18, 2024, over the killing of 17 military personnel on March 14, 2024.
The incident triggered a military operation that destroyed the entire community and the arrest and detention of persons linked to the community.
Following their continued detention without trial, the applicants subsequently approached the Federal High Court in Warri, seeking relief over their unlawful detention.
However, on June 10, 2026, the court ordered their immediate release from military detention, but the military failed to release the detainees to their families.
The issuance of Form 48 now signals a further step in the enforcement process, placing the Attorney-General on notice of the consequences of continued disobedience.
Form 48 is a formal warning in contempt proceedings. It does not, by itself, mean that the Attorney-General has been convicted of contempt or sentenced to prison.
