SAN Warns Community against disobeying Court Order in C’River Cocoa Dispute 

By Ene Asuquo, Calabar 

Calabar -Based human rights lawyer,Mba Ukweni (SAN), has warned farmers in Bendeghe Ekiem community, Etung local government area of Cross River State, about the implications of disobeying a court order. 

The warning was given while reading an order of interlocutory injunction from the Etung High Court to community residents at the weekend.

Representing the interest of  cocoa lessees who were put into those farms by  immediate past administration of Ben Ayade,  Ukweni stated  that risk of being sighted for contempt of court could amount to going to prison on account of that contempt.

Ukweni, who was being represented by Emmanuel Orji, said “Be that as it may though I was not given the opportunity to speak elaborately, because of the noisy nature of the environment.

“I told those who wanted to hear that an interlocutory order of injunction will remain pending, existing and  extant until the matter is determined .

“Whether the matter takes 10 years, so long as an interlocutory order of an injunction has been made, no other order will be made, until that matter is determined one way or the other, that is why I am here.

Shading more light on interlocutory order which emanates from suit No.HE/16/2024, the human rights lawyer said,”That order is an interlocutory order of injunction restraining every other person that is   in the farms that were leased out to tenants by Dr. Oscar Ofuka.

“Restraining them by government, restraining them from remaining  there, entering there, doing any manner of work there, or chasing out the tenants that were put there by the immediate past administration of Prof.Ben Ayade. 

“It is only on that note that Mba Ukweni (SAN), detailed me as a son of the soil to come to Bendeghe  Ekiem and that whenever they discuss their matters that I should only explain the implications of that order and disobedience to the order what it will entail. 

“Mba sent a copy of letter to me, attached with an order from High court of Etung, given sometime in the month of June 2024.” Orji  maintained.

In June, 2024, the Cross River State High court in Efrayah issued an interlocutory injunction restraining respondents or it’s agents from harassing or evicting claimants from a 12- hectares cocoa farmland in the government owned Cocoa estate.

In his remarks, Chairman of the crisis management committee of the Mbume block of clans, Ntufam Mosses Ndep, stated that  the message passed as regards the court order was explicit and has been passed accurately.

Meanwhile every effort to get the reaction of other disputed beneficiaries who were allotted the cocoa farms by the present administration  failed as the allotted declined to make  comments on the issue stressing that they will only react on the issue after they finished holding their meeting with the state government.