By Deshi Munkuwe
Almushahid Initiative for Transparency and Accountability (AITA), an Abuja anti-corruption NGO has called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Mr. Olukayode Ariwoola GCON to ensure the enforcement of the Supreme Court judgement in favour of the aggrieved indigenes of Azu village under the leadership of Uchenna Chukwuemeka.
In a Press release made available to news agencies in Abuja and signed by Ambassador Aminu Abubakar Majidadi on Tuesday, the National President/CEO of the NGO said it is indeed a slap on the face of the judiciary that some individuals can violate a judgement by the Supreme Court Judgment and scut free.
“We wish to intimate Nigerians and the whole world of our position on this matter and to re-iterate our call on the Apex Court to act fast in enforcing the Supreme Court Judgment in favour of Azi Village community of Ogbunike to avoid communal crisis.
“The outcome of our investigation unveiled that, the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday the 11th Day of April, 2003 before their Lordships; Muhammadu Lawal Uwais (the then Chief Justice of Nigeria), and other then Justices of Supreme Court that includes; Micha Kundayo Ogundare, Anthony Ikechukwu Iguh, Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu and Dahiru Musdapher who served who led the delivered a sound judgment on land dispute between Azu village and Abor-Amawa all of Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Anambra State.” It stated.
The statement further unveiled that the said judgment was in favor of the Azu village, but yet Abor-Amawa villagers lay claim to the land, one Robinson Adim instructed some group of armed men, led by one Monday Adugbor invaded Azu village and started shooting sporadically into the air, pulled down fence built on the said land by some Azu indigenes who have bought plot of land, among them is Uchenna Chukwuemeka whose fence was destroyed including building materials worth five million naira stolen by the invaders led by Monday Adugbor of the Nigeria police force, Anambra state police command.
According to the release, the invaders who are youths and elders of Abor-Amawa village committed arson, contempt of court by disobeying the judgment of their lordships which gave the said land to the people of Azu village. Robinson Adim contracted Chiwendu Umenyora alongside Onyeka Nwafor, Okechukwu Adim, Ikechukwu Adim, Chibuzor Nwanefor, Samuel Nwanefo, Tochukwu Chuke all of Aboh-Amawa village were sponsored by Robinson Adim to carry out this nefarious act of arson, theft, breach of public peace and contempt of court.
It is in view of this breach of peace and an act of lawlessness by the youths of Abor-Amawa that AITA considered intervening in the matter before it degenerates into communal war and bring culprits to book.
At this juncture, AITA called on the CJN and other relevant agencies to ensure the enforcement of the judgment by the Supreme Court and to bring all culprits to book in order to prevent further violation of law and possible communal crisis.
AITA has further provided copy of judgment delivered by their Lordships, justices of the then Supreme Court as evidence to back up this claim.
“We are also calling on the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, the Department of State Service (DSS) and all other relevant security agencies to do the needful to ensure justice is served to the aggrieved indigenes of Azu village under the leadership of Uchenna Chukwuemeka. It ended.
