A judge of Anambra State High Court, Justice Peace Otti, has threatened to stop sitting if disobedience to the orders of her court continues.
Visibly angry when she entered the court yesterday, Justice Otti of the High Court 3, Awka Judicial Division told lawyers and litigants that she only came to announce to them that she has decided to stop sitting until proper explanations were given on why orders made by her court were not obeyed.
She stated for instance, she made an order against further arrest of some litigants in a matter in her court, but, some police operatives from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, came at about 8pm, arrested the litigants and whisked them away to Abuja citing “conducts likely to cause a breach of peace”.
“I only came to inform you that I have decided to stop sitting because it is a waste of time for me to continue sitting when the orders made by the court are not being obeyed.
“This court made an order barring further arrest of some litigants in a matter before this court pending the determination of the substantive case but some police officers came from Abuja without any court order, and, abducted these litigants and took them to Abuja and said that they arrested them for “conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
“I have decided not to sit again until the commissioner of police in Anambra State, CP Aderemi Adeoye, comes and explains to the court why the police that are supposed to enforce the orders of the court are disobeying the court orders.
“Nigeria has just become very lawless, and I am no longer ready to be wasting my time coming here to sit, and make orders that will not be obeyed”, she insisted.
LEADERSHIP observed that the second matter Justice Otti later entertained after she was persuaded by some senior lawyers to sit was the case instituted by the dethroned traditional ruler of Nwafia community in Njikoka local government area, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo challenging his dethronement.
Justice Otti had on June 21, 2022 made an order setting aside the certificate of recognition issued to one Chief Dan Obelle as the monarch of the community by the immediate past administration of Chief Willie Obiano, and, later, made another order barring the Chief Dan Obelle from parading as either “Eze/Igwe of Nwafia” pending the determination of Igwe Nwankwo’s suit.
Nwankwo in the suit named the Anambra State government, attorney general of Anambra State and the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council as defendants.
Contrary to the orders of Justice Otti, the Anambra State government has been according Chief Obelle recognition as monarch of Nawfia, and he even marked “Igu Aro” ritual early this year during which he conferred traditional titles on 40 persons without police arresting him for violating order of the court.
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