Crime
Delta: Outrage as IGP Monitoring Unit Tries to Derail Criminal Trial Over Violent Attack On Court Execution
Asaba, Nigeria — A storm of controversy is brewing over what legal observers are calling a brazen attempt by officers in the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit to sabotage a criminal trial currently before the Federal High Court in Asaba.
The case stems from a court-ordered land judgment delivered by a Delta State High Court. In compliance with that judgment, court officials, accompanied by officers from Zone 5 Police Headquarters in Benin (acting on the Inspector General’s approval), began executing the ruling. The operation, however, turned violent when a group of armed men allegedly led by Linus Osemene, Japhet Biose, Emmanuel Ifeadi, and Chijoke Agafiene attacked the police and court officers with firearms and other dangerous weapons.
Following the assault, a petition was filed to the IGP, who then authorized the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in Zone 5 to investigate. The Zone 5 team responded swiftly, recovering multiple firearms and other weapons believed to have been used in the attack. Victims, including injured police officers and court officials, gave statements, and the suspects were charged in *Charge No. FHC/ASB/1C/2025* on a 10-count charge.
The charges include illegal possession of firearms, public display and use of weapons to cause chaos and injury, assault, armed robbery, theft, and other related offenses. The seriousness of the charges underscores the gravity of the violence that unfolded during the court-ordered enforcement.
But just as the case began to move through the courts, the suspects attempted to derail the process by filing a petition to the IGP Monitoring Unit. In their petition, they failed to disclose that they were already under trial and that a full investigation had already been conducted and sanctioned by the IGP.
Officers from the Monitoring Unit, led by SP Mojirade Obisiji, not only pressured Zone 5 to terminate the trial, but went ahead to take possession of the original case file—despite the matter being sub judice and in clear contravention of *Force Signal No. CB:4001/IGP.SEC./ABJ/VOL.121/48 DTO:211340/11/2024*, which expressly prohibits a unit from taking over a case already being handled by another formation or conducting a parallel investigation.
When Zone 5 pushed back, citing due process and protocol, the Monitoring Unit changed its narrative, claiming it was merely investigating the suspects’ alibis. Meanwhile, witnesses report a disturbing pattern of threats and intimidation directed at the victims, with several alleging that the suspects have bragged openly about paying ₦30 million to shut down the case through officers in the Monitoring Unit.
Communities in Ogwashi-Uku and Ubulu Okiti are now demanding swift intervention.
“SP Mojirade Obisiji must be called to order,” said one elder in the community. “We are calling on the Inspector General of Police to step in and stop this assault on justice. If court judgments can’t be enforced without police interference, then what hope do ordinary people have? The Inspector General of Police and most of their officers are doing a very commendable job under very difficult circumstances in the country. We are sure that the IGP and senior police officers don’t know what this renegade officer is doing to give the police a bad reputation.”
There is growing concern that the Inspector General of Police may not be aware of the extent of misconduct being carried out under his name. Officers involved in this case are said to be brandishing the IGP’s authority and leveraging his office to lend legitimacy to actions aimed at obstructing justice—without his consent or knowledge. Legal analysts say this behavior not only damages public trust but also undermines the authority of the IGP himself.
Beyond calls for police accountability, the matter has now reached the highest levels of government. The Presidency has been formally petitioned over the conduct of SP Mojirade Obisiji, and a letter has been submitted to the Attorney General of the Federation, urging his office to take over the prosecution to prevent what many are calling an orchestrated and illegal effort to pervert justice by derailing a case already in court.
Legal experts warn that this case could set a dangerous precedent. “When police officers and court officials are attacked in the line of duty and suspects are properly charged, the integrity of the system is tested by how the case is handled,” one lawyer noted. “This attempt to scuttle due process from within the same institution is unacceptable.”
For now, the matter remains in court—but for how long is unclear, as the battle between justice and alleged internal sabotage intensifies.