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Court adjuorned to May 20th in the okrika vs rivers state government demolition case.

Prof. Osibanjo, counsel to Okrika Chiefs and the Okrika people after the court session on 24 February

Port Harcourt, 24th February - The Federal High court handling the case between the Okrika people and the Rivers State government on the case of illegal demolitions has adjourned to May 20th 2010.

Prof. Osibanjo, counsel to the Okrika people who are threatenned by further evictions, told the court that; “The state government, as well as agents of the federal government must not violate the fundamental right of the applicant by evicting or demolishing their homes without due process of law.”

Osibanjo said the Okrika people still have fundamental rights that must be respected in the event of forced evictions. He said whether the Okrika people own the land or not there must be due process. “We are asking a specific protection of our fundamental human rights,” Osibanjo said.

Osibanjo maintained that it is only the court that has the right to order evictions and demolitions and not the state government but the defence counsel argued that the state government has executive powers to demolish houses on government lands. The defence counsel, acting on behalf of the Rivers State Government, has asked the court to dismiss the case.

At this point it difficult to predict whether more waterfront people will be forced from their homes in further forced evictions and demolitions.

SDN and it's local and international partners will continue to support community efforts in the Niger–Delta to resist the forced eviction of communities from the waterfront areas of the city.

>> Killings in Bundu-Ama Community as residents resist demolitions

>> Read news reports on the displacements and demolitions collated in the SDN Newsroom

>> Video documenting the forced evictions in Njemanze community in September/October