Idomi-Ugep Boundary Conflict: Ugep Community Files Lawsuit Against Cross River Government and Idomi Community
Senator Bassey Otu, Governor, Cross River State
The Ugep community, through its traditional leadership and representatives, has filed a lawsuit against the Cross River Government and the Idomi community, to protest what it terms, the “unlawful encroachments and unjustified attempts to apportion Ugep farmlands at the Ketabebe frontier”.
The claimants, acting on behalf of the entire Ugep community, assert that the Government’s recent decision to allocate ancestral lands in a 45-40-15 ratio—between Ugep, the Idomi community, and the State Government—is not only illegal but also unconstitutional.
They emphasise that this decision violates their fundamental rights as enshrined in Sections 36 and 44 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These sections ensure the right to a fair hearing and the protection of property rights, which the Ugep community believes have been severely undermined.
Historically, the Ugep community recalls a notable case from 1996, in which a similar government attempt to impose a buffer zone at the Ketabebe frontier was successfully challenged in the High Court in Calabar.
The case was presided over by Honourable Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen (as he was then), and the judgment delivered remains binding and unappealed to this day.
This precedent establishes a firm legal basis for prohibiting the Government from reintroducing the buffer zone option, in accordance with the principle of res judicata.
Despite the weight of this existing legal judgment, the Government has allegedly resorted to coercive measures to allocate Ugep lands forcibly.
The Ugep community asserts that it was compelled to provide an “Undertaking” under duress and further claims that the Surveyor General has been instructed to conduct a biased survey in favour of the Idomi community. The Ugep community sees such actions as emblematic of egregious arbitrariness and a profound injustice that undermines their rights.
Moreover, the claimants argue that the Government’s conduct has inadvertently incited members of the Idomi community to invade Ugep farmlands within the Ketabebe region.
Reports indicate that these incursions have led to the destruction of crops and the intimidation of local farmers, particularly women, resulting in significant hardships for households that rely on agriculture for their livelihood.
Through this legal action, the Ugep community is seeking several forms of relief from the court:
– A formal declaration that the Government’s allocation of Ketabebe lands is null, void, and unconstitutional, thus lacking any legal effect.
– An injunction that would prevent the Government and its agents from acquiring or surveying Ugep lands without adhering to due legal processes.
– Confirmation of their customary rights of occupancy over the disputed farmlands at Ketabebe, affirming their historical connection to the land.
– Compensation for general damages, amounting to₦500,000,000, against the Government and the Idomi community, reflecting the loss and suffering endured by the Ugep people.
The Ugep community remains steadfast in its commitment to protect and preserve its ancestral heritage at Ketabebe. They strongly urge all stakeholders to respect the rule of law, uphold justice, and abstain from any further acts of encroachment that may infringe upon their rights.
