Ebonyi community ex-communicates, drags Eze Oketa to court over alleged snatching of lands, other crimes

…petitions Gov. Nwifuru to intervene over incessant arrest of youths by police 

By, Uchenna Okeh Abakaliki 

Thousands of youths, women and elders of Oroke Onuoha community in Ebonyi local government area of Ebonyi State on Monday dragged it’s traditional ruler, HRH Sunday Oketa over alleged snatching of community lands, police and charms to harass the people of the area.

The community leaders of Oroke Onuoha, who announced the immediate ex-communication of the monarch, Eze Sunday Oketa, called on the governor, Francis Nwifuru to call the monarch and the son, Friday Oketa, the coordinator of Echiaba development centre to order.

The Nations News reports that the youths, Women and elders were angered by the activities of the monarch and the son, and decided to institute a court case, bordering on the allegations of harassment, intimidation, snatching of lands among other matters against them.

It was gathered that the matter came up for mention at the state high court in Abakaliki.

The monarch, Sunday Oketa appeared in court for the matter, but the son, Friday Oketa, absconded.

The Nations News correspondent who was at the court for the matter, reports that thousands of youths, women and elders of Oroke Onuoha community appeared in court for the matter.

Investigation revealed that the matter was adjourned to 7th of July, 2026 for hearing.

The counsel to the plaintiff, Barr. Clement Adebayo who spoke to newsmen, said the defendants, (Oketa and son) have been evading services from the court beliefs.

According to him, “I’m saying that today is not for hearing, but for mention, and it’s the first day this matter is coming up.

Again, we filed a motion of expertiseto serve on the parties that have been evading theservices.Belief of court have made a series of attempts to serve them.”They were not there to collect the processes.So today, now we have moved the motion andthe court has granted it,so that we can go and serve them by way of substitute means. 

“The case was adjourned to 7th of July, 2026. It did to enable those that are to be served torespond to the processes we have filed” he stated.

Similarly, there was a melodrama at the court gate, as police officers in their numbers, arrested three members of the community, on the alleged directive of the monarch Sunday Oketa and son, Friday Oketa, who had earlier petitioned the police.

The youths of the community were angered by the development, and however, staged a protest and chanted war songs, demanding for the immediate release of those arrested by the police.

One of the protesters, Monday Okeh, said “The reason why we are here in court, is that we are having a bad government in our village.

Our king, Eze Sunday Oketa and the son, Friday Oketa have been intimidating us in our village.Taking all the village lands and other properties as their own personal property.”

If they want to sell our village land, they will sell it alone as if it is their personal property.While the villagers, elders and the youths will not be aware of what is going on.

If he likes, he will take village land and give to his concubines, and so called friends.”He will give them the land to build a house without the consent of the elders. 

So, along the line, the son will sell village land and force our elders to sign the paper.If you refuse to sign the paper, he will beat you mercilessly and arrest you with the police.So, on that note, our elders become tired of that and our youths.

And so, we don’t know what to do again, other than to come to court and sue them” he stated.

Another, Engr. Ogbogu Emmanuel, the chairman of the attorney of the community, said “we went to court but surprisingly as we were coming of the court, the traditional ruler, Sunday Oketa allegedly called the police who came to the court and arrested three of our men for no just reason.

“We call on the Ebonyi State governor, Francis Nwifuru, the inspector general of police, Human rights activist and the well meaning citizens of the country to come to our rescue” he stated.

The leaders of Oroke Onuoha community, further announced the immediate ex-communication of the monarch and the son, and threatened to deal decisively with any one seen coming to the embattled King’s Palace or have anything to do with him nor his son, until further notice.

When contacted for reaction, the monarch, HRH, Sunday Oketa and the son, Friday Oketa, the development centre coordinator of Echi-aba, refused to pick several calls and messages sent to them at the time of filing this report.