Justice Inyang Edem Ekwoa at the federal high Court in Abuja, struck out a suit brought forth by a Coalition of Northern Groups, which aimed to compel the exit of Igbo people from the southeastern region of Nigeria.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/538/2021, was initiated by a group of elders and politicians from the North, including Nastura Shariff, Balarabe Rufa’i, Abdul-Aziz Sulaiman, and Aminu Adam.
The case, which sought to expedite the southeastern region’s departure from Nigeria before the conclusion of the constitution amendment process, faced setback as the plaintiffs consistently failed to appear in court or provide legal representation.
Justice Ekwo, upon reviewing the case file and noting the absence of diligent prosecution by the Northern groups since 2022, concluded that the plaintiffs had effectively abandoned their own suit.
The suit, rooted in concerns over violence and agitation in the South-East, aimed to prevent a recurrence of the devastating Civil War of 1967-1970. The plaintiffs argued that allowing the Igbo to exit Nigeria would quell the activities of groups like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by Nnamdi Kanu.
The Northern group had petitioned the court to invoke Section 4 of the Nigerian Constitution and relevant international charters to facilitate a referendum for the self-determination of the southeastern states. They specifically called upon the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the National Assembly to initiate the process.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo stated the need for diligent prosecution and noted the plaintiffs’ failure to uphold this requirement, he struck out the case, citing a lack of legal representation and commitment on the part of the Northern groups.
