Imo community sues traditional ruler, others over illegal dredging activities

Some indigenes of Adakam-Amumara Community in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local  Council of Imo State have taken their traditional ruler, Eze O. B. Nwokocha, the palace secretary and three other community chieftains to court for their alleged involvement in illegal dredging activities in the area.

In the suit marked HAM/10/2023, and filed at the State High Court, Aboh Mbaise division, the plaintiffs led by Prof. Cyril Nwankwo, asked the court  for an order of mandatory injunction compelling the defendants, especially the first defendant (Eze Nwokocha) to desist from further dredging of sand in the community without complying with the environmental assessment provisions.

They also want an order compelling the first defendant to render accounts of all the money that accrued from the sand dredged in the community from the period that he purportedly removed the first plaintiff till judgment is given in the suit.

The plaintiffs averred that the actions of the monarch and other defendants were inimical to the life and property of the community as well as dangerous to their overall survival as people.

Also, in the suit dated March 31, 2023, Prof. Nwankwo flayed his removal as the President General of the community by the monarch, describing it as undemocratic and a violation to the constitution of the community.

He alleged that his resistance to the illegal activities of the defendants caused them to purportedly remove him and unilaterally appoint one Mr. Ifeanyi Osuji as his replacement.

According to Nwankwo, the constitution of the community does not empower the traditional ruler to appoint or remove the President-General, elected by the general assembly, in accordance with constitutional provisions.

He insisted that the President General can only be removed by the same body that elected him.

Nwankwo and other plaintiffs, among other prayers, sought an order of injunction restraining the defendants, especially the second defendant (Ifeanyi Osuji) ,by themselves, agents and/or servants from parading and/or continuing to parade himself or holding himself out to any person as the President General of Adakam Amumara Autonomous Community, under whatever title or designation or even appointing or conducting any election of the
President General pending the determination of this suit.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.