Enugu — ACTIVITIES at the Oji River Local Government Headquarters in Enugu State were paralyzed yesterday following the invasion of the Magistrate Court located in the premises by a team of policemen from Enugu in an attempt to arrest a suspect allegedly involved in a case of illegal possession of firearms.

The Policemen who were fully armed and numbering over fifteen reportedly blocked the entrance to

the council secretariat and disrupted normal activities including the proceedings of the magistrate court, a development which the State Chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) described as "contempt of the court".

In its reaction to the action of the police shortly after the incident yesterday, the NBA said one of the Magistrates, Akubilo was prevented by the overzealous policemen from entering his court to commence the day's sitting.

As learnt by Vanguard, trouble started at the resumed trial of the suspect, when the Police Prosecuting Officer made an application to withdraw the charges against the suspect in the matter, apparently to enable it pursue the case at another court.

The trial magistrate, Uche Mogboh (Mrs.) was said to have based on the application made an order

dismissing the charge and acquiting the suspect. The development was said to have annoyed the Policemen in court, who made immediately to re-arrest the suspect while the court was in session.

It was further gathered that the refusal of the Magistrate and lawyers present at the court room for the arrest to be made had futher infuriated the officers, who resorted to shouting match with the law officers and held the court hostage, preventing movements in and out of the premises.

According to the State Chairman of the NBA in Enugu , Mr. Donatus Okorowo, it was the intervention of Commissioner of Police Sulieman Fakai, who was called on phone, leading to his ordering the Policemen out of the court that restored normalcy to the court.