Court frowns at alleged violation of order in case against Anambra LG boss

By Polycarp Ifeanyi, Onitsha

Justice D.N. Onyefulu of Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha, has frowned at the report by the Counsel of UPJA Joist Association, BridgeHead, Chief Clifford Ilogbune Okoye Esq that the Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area , Hon. Emeka Orji flouted the order of the Court by marking some facilities in the market for demolition.

The leadership of the Market had dragged Onitsha South Local Government Area and Anambra State Government to Court demanding  N700m compensation  for unlawful demolition of  their plazas which they claimed was  built with all the necessary approvals from relevant government agencies.

The traders also demanded that a letter of apology be issued to them for the malicious and overzealous agents of Anàmbra state Government.

 But surprisingly Hon. Orji who has been elected as the substantive Chairman of Onitsha South local government allegedly came last  Monday  with his agents to mark some buildings for demolition  in spite of the court order.

When the matter  came up for hearing on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, Counsel to the traders, Chief Clifford Okoye drew the attention of the Court on the recent conduct of the Local Government Chairman, Hon. Orji who on Monday went to the Market and was marking some facilities which were built at  the Market more than 30 years ago for demolition in spite of Court order restraining both parties to maintain status quo. 

That is, he said, the traders should not build any facilities again and the Local Government Chairman should not demolish any further facilities in the Market.

 Chief Okoye told news men that some facilities which include toilet facilities, shops and some boreholes Hon. Orji was marking them for demolition, recalling that sometime in the month of June, court made an order restraining the parties to maintain status quo. 

He noted that the marking of toilet facilities and shops for demolition is an act tantamount to violation of  the court order and the Court frowned seriously against that.

He continued: “If we confirm that where the defendant marked is within our property, we will do the needful and the needful is that we will proceed against the defendant by issuing form 48, which is notice of disobedience to court order. I continue to tell people that the Court is the last hope for the common man. I know if we begin to talk of people who take irrational action, I will say that traders in the Market are greater percentage, majority of people with different ideological indiosecrency and if they are matured to maintain peace, I respect the Onitsha South Local Government Chairman and Onitsha South Local Government to maintain peace. But if he chooses that he has power and being power drunk to flout the law, then we will use the instrumentality of law to deal with him because nobody is above the law” the lawyer said.

However, Counsel to Hon. Orji and the Local Government, TC Iken, who was in Court denied knowledge of the markings and promised to find out if the marking is within the area covered by the injunction.

Iken who is a director in the State Ministry of Justice said that he would talk to his clients if it is within the area, he would advise his clients to stay clear because they would not disobey the Court by allowing the  status quo to be maintained until the determination of the case.

The matter was adjourned to April 17,2025 for hearing.