NMU Land Controversy: AGF Interpreted Supreme Court judgment- Ajuyah

Former Delta State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Ajuyah, SAN says the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami “did not re-write the judgment of the Supreme Court”, regarding the actual name of the community where Nigeria Maritime University, NMU is situated in Warri South-West Local Government Area, but ‘‘interpreted it for application by the National Assembly,” insisting the AGF was right.

The ex-Delta State Chief Law Officer who briefed newsmen in Warri, Delta State, Thursday January 11, on whether or not Okerenghigho or Okerenkoko is the correct name of the community where the Maritime University is situated, stated, “The Ijaws of Okerenghigho appealed to the Supreme Court and on 31 January, 1973, Elias C.J Sowemimo and Ibekwe SCJN, dismissed the appeal by unanimous decision. It was seriously argued in that case whether the land is Okerenghigho or Okerenkoko. It was a finding in that case that the land in dispute is called Okerenghigho by the plaintiffs who are Itsekiri and Okerenkoko by the Ijaws who are defendants”.

 According to him, nobody has faulted the AGF that his opinion was not based on law, adding that people are just expressing sentiments.

While noting that the Maritime University is needed by people of the area, Ajuyah asserted, ‘‘the Honourable Attorney- General of the Federation as the Chief Law Officer of the federation has a duty not only to inform the National Assembly, but to advise the body by the rule of law. They cannot legislate away the existing rights of people of Omadino”.

He stressed that there is no need for violence regarding the issue, but that the rule of law should be respected.   

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