A Rivers State High Court sitting in Okrika in Okrika Local Government Area of the State has restrained several entities including institutions, communities and individuals from having any form of transaction involving lands belonging to Jumbo Major House in Bonny Kingdom, Rivers State.

The presiding judge in suit number: WHC/73/2019, Justice Lemea Ngbor-Abina gave the order on Thursday, July 18, 2024 in a case involving the Chairman, Secretary and a member of Jumbo Major House Elders Council, Wari-Alabo Sodienye Jumbo, Wari-Alabo Kalada Jene, and Wari-Alabo Edmund Jumbo, respectively, as claimants.

The first set of defendants are Tamunoala Chapp-Jumbo, Amaopusenibo Blessbe Jumbo, Amaopusenibo Wilson Jumbo, Amaopusenibo Sinclair Jumbo, and Warisenibo David William-Jumbo.

The second defendant is the Amanyanabo-in-Council of Grand Bonny Kingdom in lieu of the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC), represented in the court’s record by the demised erstwhile Secretary of the BCC, late Se-Alabo Arthur Willie-Pepple, while the third defendant is the now defunct Jumbo Major House Caretaker Committee, represented by Wari-Alabo Jasper Jumbo.

In his ruling, Justice Ngbor restrained the first set of defendants including their agents representing in any guise Jumbo Ishileogono, Arugbana-Ama, Burukiri, Orupiri, Bagg Jumbo, and Polo Nwato Communities, and the Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) from any form of transaction involving lands belonging to Jumbo Major House in any part of Bonny LGA. 

“An Order of this Honourable Court is hereby made restraining the 1st set of Defendants, their agents, privies, servants and all persons working in alliance with them, under their command, instruction and directive, including persons such as Sopiriala Kaladappa Jumbo (Soimi Kaladappa Jumbo) and Peter Kaladappa Jumbo, both of Jumbo Ishileogono Community, Precious Dandison Jumbo, Godswill T. Oko-Jumbo, Tekena Oko-Jumbo Jumbo, Tamunoipiriala S. Jumbo, Simeon A. Jumbo, Owusibo A. Jumbo and Tamunosa A. Jumbo all of Jumbo Arugbanama Oko-Jumbo Community, Precious E. Jumbo and Godswill Jumbo both of Burukiri Jumbo Community, Promise D. Jumbo of Orupiri Community, Enoch Jumbo and Adawari Julius Jumbo of Bagg Jumbo Community, Keipirima C. Jumbo of Polo Nwato/Jumbo Ishileogono Community, Amaopusenibo Amairigha Edward Hart and Amasenibo Daddy Dappa, both of the Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) and from tampering and or dealing with, including the parcellations, allotment, allocation and distribution, racketeering, sales, alienation, conveyance and or transfer of titles of the lands and landed properties of the Jumbo Major House, situate in its communities areas and territories specifically known and referred to as Obiocha (Obiogboro) land and forest bounding or abutting the 48 offshore loading pipeline, and all the expanse or parcels of land lying and situate at Jumbo Major House Communities in the Bonny Local Government Area, which include the Akatikpo (Park), Ayambo, Ntamokwu-Ayambo (Ntamokwu-Ayambo Land Extension), Jumbo Abalamabie, Bagg, Egelebie, Ukwumbi 1 & 2, Jumbo Oputumbi (Promise land) communities and all the pieces, parcels and or expanses of the Jumbo Major House lands situate at Water Wells 3-12, to themselves, their agents, fronts, cronies, whether members or on-members of the Jumbo House, or any person(s) howsoever aimed or styled, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on already filed in Court.”

“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED by this Honourable Court mandating and or directing the Nigeria Police Force especially at its Bonny Divisional Headquarters, to enforce the herein orders of the Honourable Court, in protection of the sanctity, authority and integrity of the Honourable Court, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed.”

“IT IS ALSO ORDERED that the Respondents be put on notice of the motion on notice while Parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo in this matter pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

“IT IS FINALLY ORDERED that the matter stands adjourned to the 15th day of November, 2024 for motion.”

Kristina Reports gathered from diverse sources that this restraining order of the court may not be unconnected to the move by the BKDC to secure land for the construction of the Bonny Vehicular Terminal, Mini Stadium and Sports Academy, which are listed under corporate social responsibility (CSR) for the Train 7 project of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG).

A highly placed but anonymous source hinted Kristina Reports that the Elders Council may have resorted to seek the intervention of the courts due to the alleged refusal of the Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) to consult with it, which according the source, is the statutory body administering the House in the absence of a Chief.  

Another source, who also preferred anonymity, confided in Kristina Reports that “there is even a court judgment which ousted the powers of the Chief of the House with regards to transactions involving lands belonging to Jumbo Major House. This is very recently; I must tell you”.

“The court, in that judgment I’m telling you about, clearly told Chief Horace that he cannot transact on the lands without the active involvement of the Elders Council. It went further to quash every transaction already made. So you see why I think the Elders Council may be angry that BKDC didn’t come to them but went to individuals or communities directly.”

Meanwhile, some concerned members of the Jumbo Major House have hailed the order of the court as timely given the rapacious and illegal sales of lands belonging to the House by various groups masquerading as agents of the House after several announcements that the House was not selling its lands.