Lawyer decries alleged plot to eliminate Ex-Gov Ayade’s aide, Ofuka by Govt Officials in C’River

By Ene Ene, Calabar

A Calabar based human Rights lawyer Ntufam Mba Ukweni (SAN) has raised the alarm over alleged plot by top government functionaries in the present administration of governor, Bassey Edet Otu to eliminate his client, Mr Oscar Ofuka, the immediate past SA on cocoa development to Ex-Gov Ayade of Cross River State

Ukweni ( SAN) while addressing journalists in Calabar shortly after the matter was adjourned for August 16 2024, accused the Secretary to the Government of cross river state, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh and the State Security Adviser, major General Okoi Obono (rtd) for being behind the travails of Ofuka.

He charged the Cross River State governor, Bassey Otu to heed to advice of the state Solicitor General on the contentious cocoa allocation issues in Etung local government area of the state so that matters would not go out of hands.

Ukweni gave the appeal yesterday in Càlabar, shortly after Càlabar Magistrate court failed to grant bail to ex-aide to immediate past governor Ben Ayade on Cocoa Development and Control Ntufam Oscar Ofuka, who had been in critical condition in the last three weeks ,after he slumped in court.

Ofuka’s ordeal with governor Otu’s administration began following the allocation of hectares of cocoa that was allocated to people during the era of immediate past administration where the allocation spanned beyond Ayade’s tenure.

Although the allocation was done by the Ayade’s administration following two consent judgments of the state High Court which ordered the previous administration to extend the allocation for 1415 hectares from the total 400 hectares of cocoa to be leased out so that the administration can have money to off-set a sixteen year old debt that the state government owed the cocoa landlords communities of Etung beginning from the Liyel Imoke’s administration to Ayade’s administration.

Recalled that the cocoa landlords communities of Etung had dragged the government of Ben Ayade to court over the state government debt burden, a situation that warranted the state high court to order the administration of Ayade to make all payments regarding to cocoa allocation through a Smart.gov platform that makes it possible for the landlord communities to be getting their royalties upon payment into the state government coffers.

Following that consent judgments, exact time money is paid for the allocation, the money would automatically split itself into 3 units, 49.5% would move straight into the account of cocoa landlords communities, 40.5% moves into the account of internal revenue service which belongs to the Cross River State government while 10% goes to the account of Cocoa Development and Control account.

Reasons for the court decision was to prevent the embarrassment associated with garnishing of Cross River State government account to satisfy indebtedness and to prevent the cocoa landlords communities from taking over the estate.

Recall that the Solicitor General of the state had in a letter, drawing attention of the state governor to the fact that some individuals in government have their personal interest to protect regarding the conflict that exists in allocation of cocoa in state government owned cocoa estate.

Again, the Solicitor General of the state had on July 27, 2023 written a letter Ref. Number MOJ/SG/PS/ Vol.1/197 to the state governor with fourteen documents attached advising the state government on the way forward regarding consent judgments given by court, and on the need for the consent judgments to be honoured.

Speaking against the backdrop of the ongoing ordeal that Ayade’s ex-Aide Oscar Ofuka is going through in the hands of Prince Bassey Edet Otu’s administration, Ukweni called for caution warning that should anything goes wrong with Ofuka, consequences would follow given the fact that Ofuka was only an agent to the immediate past administration and not the one in charge

of government stressing that money that was received for allowing were paid into account of the state government and not into Ofuka ‘s pocket.

The human rights lawyer accused Secretary to State Government SSG, Anthony Owan, of being behind Ofuka’s travails simply because he has personal interest that he has been protecting.

“Most of you are aware of this problem. It is the cocoa in Etung. I must be frank to state clearly that Secretary to State Government SSG, Anthony Owan Enoh, Using the State Security Adviser, retired Maj. Gen. Okoi Obono (rtd) now wants to eliminate my client.

“Most of them had been working behind to appropriate the farm and sell part of it. There’s a vast portion of land they want to sell to one Mark Prince. It was Ofuka who met with the governor in their presence and let the governor know that that parcel of land does not belong to the father of Mark Prince ‘s late grandfather.

“And that there is even a judgement of the court in favour of the state government. There have been various litigations in respect of this,we have even had an order of the High court of Etung”. Ukweni stressed.

Ofuka who is standing trial during appearance at the magistrate court on allegation of murder after death of one of the workers at the cocoa estate was later ordered to be taken to the police clinic where he can have access to medical attention because of his ill health.

However, secretary to state government SSG Prof Anthony Owan Enoh and the State Security Adviser retired Maj Gen. Okoi Ubon, have since denied their involvement in Ofuka’s travail.