ABUJA – The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the lingering dispute between Abagana and Ukpo communities in Dunukofia local government area of Anambra State.
In a unanimous decision, the Justice Inyang Okoro led panel’s ruling followed a submission by Counsel to Ukpo community, Chief Nnamdi Ibegbu, (SAN), who argued that that the case which was struck out at the Court of Appeal should be dismissed in its entirety to put to a stop to further adjudication on the matter in any other court
It will be recalled that the Abagana, Abba and Ukpo communities land dispute had been decided by the Supreme Court in favour of the Ukpo community in an earlier judgment.
Ikechi Victorson, media consultant to the Ukpo community, described the continued assignment of the case to different courts in Anambra State as “unjustifiable.”
Victorson also described the move as “unprofessional, unethical and a move that smacks of unsavory and unsalutary motivations.”
In a statement made available to newsmen, he lamented “In about two of those cases filed by the litigants from the communities, the judges struck out the cases in favor of the Ukpo community up to the level of the court of appeal.
“In one of such judgments in a similar case assigned to the high court of Nneni Judicial division, the Abba community case was decided in favour of the Ukpo community.
“In that instance, the Judge held that the matter had been decided by the supreme court and that no other court in the country has the right to adjudicate on the matter as it has already been ruled upon by the Apex Court, no matter the guise under which it is brought to the court or being re- introduced before the court.
“In support of his ruling, the judgment had quoted the Bible saying “if the foundation be destroyed what can the righteous do?
Today’s judgment by Justice Inyang Okoro of the supreme court has now put an end to the rigorous, protracted strategy of resurrecting the same case under different guise in various courts.”
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