Relocation Of Akwa Ibom State High Courts

By Ndon ASIAN

Akwa Ibom State High Courts within the Oron axis will soon be relocated to Uyo for obvious security reasons. A very reliable source within the judiciary who craves anonymity hinted me last Friday. The information was corroborated by a close friend who is a lawyer from Oron.

This decision by the Akwa Ibom State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Ekaette F. Obot is not only timely but a very practical response to the rising tide of kidnapping and other forms of insecurity in the axis in particular, and the State in general.

While that decision may not go down well with a few, even in government, their position represents that of a tiny minority. Indeed, some may have reasons against the relocation like my friend who told me when asked, that he is “aware but I am not in agreement with it”. The decision is not without a precedent, and has been applauded by majority of the people from the area and outside that I have spoken to on the matter.

It can be recalled that Hon Justice Joy Unwana was kidnapped and his police orderly murdered in what turned out to be the “first” of similar incidents in the area within the last one year. She regained her freedom after a ransom of fifty million Naira was paid to her captors.

Currently, the wife to the Paramount ruler of Mbok is battling to save her leg from amputation at the Ibom Specialists Hospital, Uyo; while her husband who was freed about two Mondays ago after the payment of the demanded ransom amount, is also recovering from gunshot wounds in the same Hospital. The wife was shot at point-blank range during the husband’s kidnap.

This example, among others in the past can suffice as a precedent to the present decision of the State Chief Judge, Justice Ekaette Obot, to relocate the courts to Uyo:

During the trial of suspects accused of the murder of the late deputy speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Okon Uwa in Nkek, Ukanafun local government area, there were open threat to the prosecuting Counsel, Bar Friday Itim and others, as people suspected to be sympathizers of the suspect invaded the court premises and created a scene.

Court sittings for the matter was relocated to Abak High Court. On one of the days for the matter, perhaps due to the proximity of Abak to Ukanafun, a sizable number of able bodied youths engaged in an unnecessary argument over propriety of certain people arrested, within the precinct of court but outside the court hall. This might have been a prelude to something more sinister. The matter was relocated to Uyo before Hon Justice Okon Okon heard and delivered judgement.

“What about the magistrates? The magistrates may become easy targets in the absence of High Court judges, if that is what you think”, said a lawyer to me yesterday. He said his name should not be mentioned “if you are going to publish this”. He concluded that “rather than relocate the magistrate court also, security should be increased around the magistrates.

An Uyo based lawyer who demanded to know my “source of such information which may bay be the usual media speculation”, said, “if your information turns out to be accurate, then the CJ has taken the right decision because if another judge or magistrate is kidnapped, my lord will be accused of ineptitude for not acting in time.”