Pandemonium and disorder reigned in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, when scores of people believed to be thugs invaded a court room and hurled stones at the presiding judge.
Justice Nayai Aganaba of a Bayelsa High Court was hearing a case on the disputed ward, local government and state congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) when the hoodlums stormed the court and started throwing stones at the judge in the hallowed chambers.
The invasion of the court was to stop proceedings in the case, Persecondnews learnt.
The claimant, Alex Blackson and his brother, Osom Blackson, were injured during the stampede in the court room.
The judge was whisked off to safety by his police orderly, while the lawyers were chased out of the court room.
The hoodlums were said to have been provoked over the insistence of Justice Aganaba to hear the suit filed by Alex Blackson, seeking the order to set aside the disputed congresses of the APC held last year.
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When policemen went to the State Secretariat of the APC to arrest some chieftains of the party over their alleged involvement in the court invasion, it was resisted with sporadic shooting.
However, two persons were reportedly arrested.
The Chairman of APC in the state, Dr Dennis Otiotio-Odoni, who distanced members of APC from the fracas at the court, alleged that those involved were PDP supporters.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the judiciary to adjudicate in matters concerning the party and urged the police to fish out those behind the court invasion.
“APC has nothing to do with the invasion of the court.
“We are a law-abiding party and we have faith in the Judiciary over cases before it. We condemn the act in its entirety and call on the Police to fish out those behind it,” he said.
Counsel to the claimant, Barr. P.J. Fawei, described the invasion as a show of disrespect to the sanctity of the court.
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