A High Court in Akwa Ibom State has restrained the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Akwa Ibom State Government, and others from forceful acquisition of the land on which Ekpri Nsukara Offot Community school is situated.
The others in the suit barred from from such action are the Ministry of Lands and Water Resources; the Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State and have been asked to stay clear until a subsisting suit filed by the village is decided.
The order of interim junction was granted on Thursday, December 12, 2024 by His Lordship, Hon. Justice Joy I. Unwana of the High Court of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, in the Uyo Judicial Division, in suit no. HU/306/2024, upon a motion Ex-Parte brought before the Court by Ekpri Nsukara Offot Village in Uyo Local Government Area, through their Counsel, Samuel Ikpo, Esq.
The Court, upon its consideration of the application against the government, ordered that an Order of Interim Injunction be issued against the defendants and respondents and also barred their agents, servants, workmen and whosoever, from carrying out any manner of work in the Land pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice filed on the 9th day of August, 2024.
The Court adjourned the case to the 18th day of December, 2024 for Motion on Notice.
In a statement made available to newsmen, it was indicated that the recent case being the invasion of the Ekpri Nsukara Offot International Schools’ compound during school hours at about 11:45am on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, occurred alongside demolition of some parts of the perimeter fencing and some adjoining buildings, a situation that almost degenerated to a violent clash with members of the community, but for the quick intervention of the Village head, Eteidung Emem Denis Asikpo and the Principal of ENISCO, Elder Domingo Bassey Etim, who doubles as the secretary to the Village council.
The Village head of Ekpri Nsukara Offot, Eteidung Emem Denis Asikpo lamented that the community has not received any official notification from the government for the acquisition of their land, either have they received compensation or formally discussed the matter, thereby creating fears that the officials involved may merely be promoting their selfish interests.
Eteidung Asikpo further appealed to the state Governor, Pastor UMO ENO to step into the matter so as to save the community’s school from extinction.
