•Vows to Enforce Court Order
Calabar, Cross River State – A legal battle over the Etung Cocoa Estates in Cross River State has intensified after Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ntufam Mba Ukweni, accused top government officials of lawlessness for allegedly flouting a subsisting court order.
Ukweni, counsel to private investors in the cocoa project, named the Attorney General, Mr Ededem Charles Ani; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan Enor; Special Adviser on Asset Recovery, Mr Gilbert Agbor; and State Security Adviser, Major General O. U. Obono (Rtd), alleging they are undermining the rule of law by refusing to comply with a High Court interlocutory injunction.
“Any lawyer who does not resent injustice should have his training questioned,” Ukweni said, adding that he could not align himself with what he called oppressive and unlawful actions.
The controversy traces back to agreements signed during the administration of former Governor Senator Ben Ayade.
Under the deal, private investors funded cocoa plantation development in Etung LGA.
Part of their money was used to clear the State Government’s 16-year debt to landlord communities, covering arrears from 2007 to 2023.
Ukweni said the arrangement included a six-year lease approved by the then-government.
He argued that the current administration has benefited from the investments but is now seeking to evict the funders without refunds.
“You cannot take people’s money, use it to develop government assets, and then drive them away. That would amount to fraud,” he stated.
To protect the investors’ rights, Ukweni secured an interlocutory injunction restraining the State Government from interfering with their operations.
Tensions rose after a group dubbed “Team Obey Court Order” emerged to push for compliance.
In response, the Cross River State Government issued a public notice through Attorney General, Ededem Charles Ani, labelling the group illegal and warning against self-help.
The government insisted that only court-appointed Sheriffs and Bailiffs can enforce judgments, and that law enforcement remains the sole responsibility of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. It warned that members of the task force risk arrest.
Ukweni further alleged that government officials mobilised individuals to instigate violence in the estates to implicate him and his clients.
He said local farmers resisted the attempts, and workers have since adopted collective safety measures while continuing lawful farm activities.
The dispute escalated when State Security Adviser O. U. Obono invited Ukweni for questioning.
The SAN declined, arguing the adviser lacks legal authority to summon him. “If there is any allegation against me, the proper procedure is to refer it to a competent law enforcement agency,” he said.
As of press time, the Cross River State Government maintains that it is acting within the law and that enforcement of court orders must follow due process through designated officers.
#CrossRiverState #EtungCocoaEstate #NigeriaNews #RuleOfLaw #CourtOrder #BenAyade #CocoaFarming #BreakingNews #SAN #AgricultureNigeria
All rights reserved. The content on this website, including text and other digital materials, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in part, without the express written consent of The News Accelerator Network.
For advertising inquiries, news coverage, or press releases, please get in touch with us at
📧 thenewsacceleratornetwork@gmail.com
📞 08051017159
Kindly follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/thenewsaccelerator
You can also subscribe to our YouTube channels here: UCVELRC3WinKZ7tdmhmZaRmQhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/sub_confirmation=1
Post a Comment