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……..RULAAC Kicks
The Court Of Appeal, Owerri Division is under lock and key, and has remained so since October 2024.
This is also as the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) said it has received complaints from judicial stakeholders in Imo State, Southeast Nigeria, concerning the closure of the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division.
Recall that in October, the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile, a group founded by Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator Simon Ekpa, issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government for the return of all detained Biafrans to the Southeast.
A statement by now-incarcerate Ekpa alleged that the Nigerian judicial system had contributed to insecurity in the region by installing anti-people governors, citing Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State as an example.
The Biafra agitator further threatened to impose a lockdown on all federal courts in the Southeast from October 29, 2024, if his demand is not met.
Similarly, he called for judges of non-Biafran descent to leave the Southeast region.
In a statement by the group’s Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma lamented that while RULAAC’s checks confirmed that there was such a threat, the group was further made to understand that the threat was for a limited period of one week when it was made.
Several months later, the Appeal Court, Owerri Division, remains closed.
Mr Nwanguma doubted that the closure of the Court of Appeal by the judicial authorities could still be based on this threat, which IPOB quickly disowned and dismissed at the time. Other courts, like the High Court and the National Industrial Court, within the same environment as the Appeal Cour,t, are still open and sitting.
“It is our considered view that if insecurity is the real reason for the continued shut down of the Owerri Division of the Appeal Court, then no courts would be sitting in the Northeast, the hotbed of Boko Haram insurgency, or in a state like Kaduna where insecurity levels continue to escalate. Yet courts are sitting in these crisis-ridden areas.
RULAAC noted that it’s seriously concerned about the continued closure of the Court of Appeal Division in Owerri since October 2024.
“We note that this raises significant concerns regarding access to justice in the state. With over 6,000 pending cases and an alarming increase of 1,500 new cases each month in the Owerri Division alone, the current legal limbo affects countless litigants who deserve timely adjudication
“This troubling situation raises some serious issues.
Firstly, judicial abdication. The apparent withdrawal of the Appeal Court justices from their responsibilities, reportedly due to a threat from a faceless pro-Biafra group, reflects a troubling trend of evading judicial duties rather than confronting security challenges head-on.
Secondly, the comparative responses to insecurity. It is noteworthy that courts in the Northeast, where Boko Haram poses a serious threat, continue to operate.
This raises questions about the consistency of the response to security threats across different regions and the implications for the rule of law.
“We note that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had in December 2024 expressed deep concern about the disruption of judicial functions in the southeast. The NBA President emphasized that justice must not become a casualty of insecurity and urged stakeholders to explore alternatives, such as virtual hearings or temporary relocations of court proceedings, to ensure that justice is accessible.
“The NBA also called on Southeast governors to assert their authority, ensuring the safety of judicial officers and reinforcing their ability to govern effectively.
RULAAC believed that justice must remain unwavering, even amidst security concerns. The judiciary needs to explore innovative solutions to uphold the rule of law in Nigeria.
“ The sustained closure of these courts impairs the rights of citizens and undermines confidence in the judicial system. The commitment of all stakeholders, including the government, judiciary, and legal practitioners, is essential to the restoration of access to justice in the Southeast region.”
