The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) is deeply concerned by an emerging pattern in which subsisting court orders are allegedly treated with contempt by some individuals and groups, while law enforcement authorities appear either unwilling or unable to take timely steps to ensure compliance and prevent avoidable breaches of the peace.
Recent developments arising from a community leadership dispute in Ofekata Orodo Autonomous Community, Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, have once again brought this disturbing trend into sharp focus. RULAAC had, before the disputed events, formally alerted the Imo State Police Command to credible reports that a subsisting court order was at risk of being disobeyed and that tensions within the community could result in violence if preventive action was not taken.
Our intervention was motivated solely by the need to preserve public peace, prevent bloodshed, and uphold respect for the rule of law. We did not take, and do not take, any position on the merits of the underlying dispute, which remains before the court.
Despite repeated early warnings and continued engagement with the Police, the disputed exercise reportedly proceeded, giving rise to serious public concern about whether sufficient steps were taken to uphold the law and preserve the authority of the court. If public authorities fail to act impartially when faced with credible reports of impending violations of court orders, confidence in both the justice system and law enforcement is inevitably weakened.
The Nigeria Police Force has a constitutional and statutory duty not only to maintain public order but also to support the administration of justice. While the Police do not enforce civil judgments as such, they have an undeniable responsibility to prevent breaches of the peace and to refrain from actions or omissions that could facilitate the frustration of lawful judicial processes.
The growing perception that influential individuals can disregard court orders without consequence, or with the tacit acquiescence of public officials, is dangerous for Nigeria’s constitutional democracy. It encourages impunity, emboldens lawlessness, and sends the wrong message to citizens who choose to resolve disputes through the courts rather than through self-help.
RULAAC therefore calls on the Nigeria Police Force to review the circumstances surrounding the handling of recent incidents in which allegations of disobedience of court orders were brought to its attention. Where officers failed to discharge their duties professionally, impartially, or in accordance with the law, appropriate administrative and disciplinary measures should follow.
We also call on all public officials, traditional institutions, community leaders, and citizens to recognise that obedience to court orders is not optional. Any person dissatisfied with a court order has lawful remedies through the appellate process. Deliberate disobedience is incompatible with the rule of law.
Finally, RULAAC urges all parties in disputes that are pending before the courts to refrain from actions capable of rendering judicial proceedings nugatory or undermining public confidence in the administration of justice. Lasting peace can only be achieved through respect for lawful processes and the equal application of the law.
The rule of law is measured not by the existence of courts alone, but by the willingness of all—including public authorities—to respect and uphold their authority.
- Signed: Okechukwu Nwanguma, Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC).
