Judge sues LG chair for N2bn over land
A High Court judge in Akwa Ibom State, Justice Iniabasi Udobong, has sued the chairman of Etinan Local Government Area, Mr. Uko Umo, over alleged trespass on his land, demanding N2bn in damages.
The lawsuit, filed at the Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Etinan, stemmed from a previous judgment delivered in November 2024, which affirmed Justice Udobong’s ownership of the disputed land.
Despite the ruling, the local government chairman allegedly constructed a plaza on the land situated at John Kirk Roundabout in Etinan urbanprompting.
Justice Udobong, who serves in the Mkpat Enin and Ikot Abasi divisions of the state’s High Court, contends that the land—part of his ancestral property and home to his parents’ graves—was properly surveyed and approved for commercial development after the Akwa Ibom State Government compensated property owners affected by the expansion of the roundabout.
According to court documents, after securing the necessary approvals, the judge began construction on the land, only for the then Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyangeyen, to order its demolition.
This led to an earlier legal battle in which the court ruled in the judge’s favour.
Despite the judgment, the local government chairman allegedly moved in and developed the land, leading to the current suit (HET/2/2025).
The local government, which was not part of the initial legal proceedings, has now applied to be joined as an interested party in an attempt to appeal the ruling—a move Justice Udobong is opposing.
On Tuesday, Justice Theresa Obot, presiding over the case, granted an injunction restraining the council chairman and his agents from accessing or making further use of the land until the substantive suit is determined.
The plaintiff’s counsel, Francis Ekanem, had argued that the defendant’s actions amounted to an attempt to impose a fait accompli on the court, while the defendant’s lawyer, Andem Ndem, urged the court to reject the injunction with substantial costs.
Justice Obot, however, ruled in favour of the plaintiff, stating that he had met the necessary legal requirements for the injunction, including proof of ownership and evidence of an ongoing threat to his property rights.
The case is set for further hearing in the coming weeks.
