He noted that the warning was particularly necessary in view of previous unrest in the area during which lives were lost before normalcy was restored.
By TheInvestigator
The Cross River State Government has declared the reported constitution of a private task force to enforce a court order in the Etung Cocoa Estates as illegal, warning that anyone found participating in such activities will be arrested and prosecuted.
In a public notice issued on March 13, 2026, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ededem Charles Ani, said the government’s attention was drawn to a report published by National Compass Newspaper on March 11 alleging that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mba Ukweni, had constituted a task force to enforce an interlocutory injunction relating to the Etung Cocoa Estates.
According to the Attorney General, the enforcement of court orders in the state is strictly governed by the Sheriffs and Civil Process Law of Cross River State (2004) and the Judgment Enforcement Rules, which vest the responsibility exclusively in the courts through duly authorised officials such as sheriffs and court bailiffs.
He stated that neither litigants nor their legal representatives have the authority to independently enforce court orders or establish ad-hoc bodies for that purpose, describing such actions as “self-help,” which Nigerian courts have consistently condemned as unlawful and incompatible with the rule of law.
Ani further explained that where a party believes a court order has been disobeyed, the proper legal procedure is to initiate contempt proceedings before the court that issued the order, including the filing of Form 48 (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience) and Form 49 (Notice to Show Cause Why an Order of Committal Should Not Be Made) under the Judgment Enforcement Rules.
He also raised concerns about reports that the alleged task force had been directed to place farms under surveillance, noting that surveillance and law enforcement responsibilities fall strictly within the statutory mandates of recognised security agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The Attorney General warned that allowing private individuals to create parallel enforcement structures could amount to an unlawful usurpation of statutory powers and may provoke confrontation and undermine public order in the affected communities.
“The state will not stand idly by while private individuals engage in unlawful conduct capable of precipitating a breakdown of law and order within the Cocoa Estates in Etung Local Government Area,” the statement read.
He noted that the warning was particularly necessary in view of previous unrest in the area during which lives were lost before normalcy was restored.
Consequently, the government directed all security agencies to prevent the operation of any such illegal body within the estates and warned that any person found acting under the authority of the purported task force would be arrested and dealt with in accordance with the law.
Ani added that Mba Ukweni would be held personally accountable for any breach of peace arising from the activities of the alleged task force.
The government also urged members of the public to ensure that all disputes relating to the Etung Cocoa Estates are pursued strictly through lawful judicial processes currently pending before the High Court of Cross River State.