AKUKWU-IGBO/Nigeria: A fresh twist has emerged in the protracted political crisis rocking Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State following the emergence of a video showing the Leader of the Legislative Arm, Hon. Jeffrey Mordi, being confronted and led away by police officers despite a subsisting court order restraining his arrest, detention or harassment.
The footage, obtained by our correspondent, captures the tense moments when police officers confronted Hon. Mordi at his business premises, where he was reportedly relaxing on the evening of Thursday, July 2, 2026, before taking him into custody.
In the video, Hon. Mordi is heard repeatedly informing the police officers that the matter involving him is already before a competent court. He is also heard mentioning the Executive Chairman of Oshimili North Local Government Council, Hon. Innocent Esewezie, while insisting that the dispute is the subject of pending judicial proceedings.
The recording further shows what appears to be a brief struggle before the House Leader is eventually led away by the police. Although the footage does not reveal the events leading to the confrontation or what transpired after the arrest, its emergence has intensified public scrutiny of the lingering political crisis and the role of security agencies in the dispute.
The latest arrest comes despite an interim order of the High Court of Justice, Delta State, sitting in Akukwu-Igbo, which restrained the respondents in the suit, including Hon. Esewezie and senior police officers, from arresting, detaining, harassing or intimidating Hon. Mordi pending the hearing and determination of the substantive case.
Court documents in Suit No. AKU/M/1/2026 show that the court specifically directed all parties to maintain the status quo while restraining Hon. Innocent Esewezie, Inspector Nkem (IPO), the Officer-in-Charge of the General Investigation Department, CSP Raymond Ndomeke, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, the Commissioner of Police, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5, and the Inspector-General of Police, either by themselves or through their agents, servants or privies, from taking any action capable of interfering with the applicant’s liberty pending the determination of the suit.
The political crisis dates back to the impeachment of the former Leader of the House and his Deputy by councillors over alleged misconduct, leading to the emergence of Hon. Jeffrey Mordi as the new Leader of the Legislative Arm.
Sources familiar with the dispute alleged that the change in leadership triggered a bitter power struggle between the executive and legislative arms of the council, with the new legislative leadership accusing the council chairman of sustained interference in the affairs of the House.
According to the sources, the crisis worsened after the roof of the legislative chamber was allegedly removed, rendering the chamber unusable and forcing councillors to hold legislative sittings under a tree within the council premises.
It was during this period, the sources explained, that Hon. Mordi took custody of the legislative mace—the official symbol of the authority of the House—to safeguard it from damage, theft or unauthorised use pending the resolution of the crisis.
Supporters of the House Leader insist that the mace was never taken for personal benefit but was preserved to protect the integrity of the legislative institution after the chamber became exposed.
Fresh information available to our correspondent indicates that following his latest arrest, Hon. Mordi has now been arraigned before a court by the police over allegations arising from a complaint lodged by the council chairman. However, the court processes were not available as of the time of filing this report.
Sources familiar with the matter claimed that the yet-to-be-confirmed charge reportedly includes an allegation of treasonable felony arising from Hon. Mordi’s continued custody of the legislative mace.
According to the sources, the council chairman contends that Hon. Mordi unlawfully removed and retained the mace, which he regards as the symbol of the authority of the legislative arm.
Supporters of the chairman argue that persistent efforts to recover the mace are justified because, in their view, legislative proceedings conducted without the official symbol of authority could raise questions about legislative procedure and institutional legitimacy.
However, supporters of Hon. Mordi reject the allegation, maintaining that he neither stole nor unlawfully removed the mace. They insist that he assumed custody of it solely to prevent it from being damaged, lost or misused after the legislative chamber was allegedly rendered insecure following the removal of its roof.
Sources further disclosed that during an earlier encounter with the police, Hon. Mordi reportedly informed a senior police officer that the mace was in his possession and explained the circumstances under which he took custody of it. According to the sources, he has never denied having the mace and has consistently maintained that it remains secure.
The sources also alleged that Hon. Mordi was earlier suspended from the legislative arm, had his salaries and allowances stopped for more than six months, and came under sustained pressure to relinquish his position as Leader of the House. They further claimed that he rejected alleged attempts to induce him with financial benefits and official vehicles in exchange for abandoning the legislative leadership.
The dispute reportedly assumed another dimension after Hon. Mordi petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging that the Oshimili North Local Government’s 2025 budget was implemented without the approval of the legislative arm as required by law.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Delta State Police Command nor the Oshimili North Local Government Council had issued an official statement addressing the latest arrest, the video now circulating in the public domain or the exact nature of the charges before the court.
The unfolding developments have further heightened concerns among legal practitioners, political observers and civil society groups over respect for subsisting court orders, the independence of local government legislatures and the increasing criminalisation of political disputes, with many urging all parties to allow the courts to determine the issues before them in accordance with the rule of law.
