Benin high court rules against the immediate installation of the Eze Ndigbo of Edo State

PLANS by the Igbo community in the Edo State capital Benin to coronate Luke Abbas as the new Eze Ndigbo of the city suffered a major setback yesterday when the high court ordered that the installation be out on hold for now.

 

Yesterday, Justice  Edodo-Eruaga ruled against the installation while ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by Festus Ezekwere and two others on behalf of Igbo Community Union in Benin City. In his ruling, the judge ordered the Edo State police commissioner to prevent Luke Abbas from being installed as Eze Ndigbo of Benin.

 

Justice  Edodo-Eruaga granted the interim injunction restraining Mr Abbas from presenting himself to Nwosu Ibe for installation as the Eze Ndigbo. Also, the judge  restrained Mr Ibe and his agents from installing Mr Abbas as the Eze Ndigbo of Edo State, pending the determination of the motion on notice.

 

Furthermore, the court restrained the state commissioner of police from permitting or allowing Messrs Ibe and Abbas to assemble at Mr Abass's Gapiona GRA residence for the purpose of installing him as the Eze Ndigbo of Edo State. Justice Edodo-Eruaga adjourned the case to December 22 for hearing of the motion on notice.

 

Nigeria's Igbo community have recently stepped up the habit of installing an Eze Ndigbo in cities and towns across the country. However, this has frequently led to infighting and sometimes attracted the wrath of the host community as happened in Akure the Ondo State capital lately.