THE sacked local council chairmen in Imo State have resumed duty on Wednesday, as directed by the Court of Appeal, Enugu, on July 5.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that policemen were drafted to the various local government secretariats in the state to avert a breakdown of law and order.

The state government had earlier barred the chairmen from gaining access to their offices after the judgment was delivered.

On Tuesday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke, urged the state government to obey the verdict of the Appeal Court.

NAN reported that the transition council chairmen appointed by the state government to replace the sacked chairmen were not seen in their offices.

In its reaction, the state government insisted that the “rush to resume duty” by the elected chairmen was against due process.

The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Soronnadi Njoku, told NAN on Wednesday in Owerri that government had filed a motion on notice for stay of execution of the appeal court’s judgment.

He said the chairmen had been served with the notice, while he accused the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Daga, of using the police to enforce the order “without recourse to due process.”

According to him, the police had no role in enforcing a judgment on a civil suit, adding that the presence of policemen at the council offices was unnecessary.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Vitalis Olugu, said policemen were deployed in the various local government secretariats to maintain law and order.

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