A Benin High Court has issued Form 49, a notice to show cause, against several Edo State officials, including the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, the General Manager of Edo Geographical Information Service, and Dr. Abdulwashiu Oyakhire, Secretary of the Edo Lands Restitution Committee.
This notice is in response to alleged disobedience of a court order or judgment
The Form 49 notice requires the officials to appear in court and show cause why they should not be committed to prison for contempt of court. This development is part of an ongoing legal battle over land disputes in Edo State.
This followed a case in Suit Number B/672/2023 instituted in a Benin High Court by Mayer Uyiekpen Ologbosere and Portcall lnternational Farms Limited over a parcel of land measuring approximately 200.309 hectares marked and delineated in the survey plan No.SEA/ED/97 attached to the Certificate of Occupancy No. EDSR 14764 which land is lying and situate at Obagie Nevbuosa village , Benin city.
The court summons dated 27 January, 2026 spelt out that a judgement of the high court presided over by Hon Justice Imadogbelo which came from terms of settlement entered into by all parties sought to be committed to prison on 3rd of March, 2025.
In a affidavit of support to the form 49, the court was told that the terms of settlement were at the instance of parties to the matter and was made a judgement in the presence of the Attorney General And Commissioner For Justice who was represented in court.
The consent judgement awarded the land measuring 200.309 hectares to Mayer Uyiekpen Ologbosere and Portcall lnternational Farms Limited.
Instead of abiding by the judgement, the parties sought to be committed to prison have now commenced acts of tresspass to the entire property of the applicants as they have now also started sharing the applicants land amongst 3rd parties.
The affidavit said the parties sought to be committed to prison are acting in utter disregard and in contempt of the consent judgement.
As at press time, all the parties mentioned and sought to be committed to prison have been served with the court form 49.
