The Enugu State High Court has issued a significant interlocutory injunction, compelling the Nigerian Army and the Minister of Defence to vacate a disputed land located within the Mbulu-Owo and Owo communities in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The order was handed down by Hon. Justice C. O. Ajah, Ph.D., on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in response to Suit No. E/375/2025, filed by H.R.H. Igwe (Dr.) Godwin Okeke Arum and Chief John Okeke Ogbu. Representing the interests of Mbulu-Owo and Owo communities, the plaintiffs named the Nigerian Army, the Hon. Minister for Defence, the Federal Ministry of Defence, and the Enugu State Government as defendants.
DAILY GAZETTE gathered that the plaintiffs’ counsel, I. O. Ngene, Esq, had submitted a Motion on Notice for an Interlocutory Injunction on April 7, 2025.
After reviewing arguments from both parties, including from Frankline A. Egbo, Esq., counsel to the 1st Defendant, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs.
Justice Ajah declared: “The Application Succeeds,” and granted all the reliefs sought.
The ruling specifically directs the Nigerian Army and the Defence Minister to “vacate and remove from the land in dispute truckloads of soldiers and or other military or security personnel they stationed on respect of all that Pieces or parcels of land or any part thereof situated and lying in Mbulu-Owo and Owo Communities in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.”
Additionally, the defendants are “hereby restrained from entering, interfering, occupying, laying siege or stopping or continuing with their entry, interference, siege or disturbance of the Plaintiffs/Applicants’ use and peaceable possession of their said ancestral home/land now in dispute, pending the determination of the substantive suit.”
The disputed area shares borders with several communities, including Akpuoga-Nike, Nkwubor-Nike, and Onuogba-Nike in Enugu East LGA, as well as Amechi-Idodo, Ozuku, Ubahu (Ogonaba), Umuhuali, Nkalagu, and Ama-Azu in Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi State.
The matter has been adjourned until September 29, 2025, for pretrial proceedings.
A Hearing Notice will be served to the 1st and 2nd Defendants or their legal representatives ahead of that date.
