In a major blow to what has been described as an orchestrated campaign of intimidation and judicial abuse, the Imo Youth Network (IYN), alongside leading legal experts and human rights activists, have condemned in strong terms the alleged actions of Prince Marcon Nlemigbo in the ongoing land dispute in Nkaraha, Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.
Addressing a joint press conference in Owerri on Saturday, the coalition accused Nlemigbo of engaging in “pure illegality” and intimidating abuse of the judiciary, describing his recent spate of petitions to security agencies as a desperate attempt to harass innocent, legitimate landowners who are lawfully acting based on a Supreme Court judgment.
According to the IYN President, Comrade Ikenna Anyanwu, the continued harassment of the Akpelu family and the developers they lawfully invited to their land is not only illegal but a gross affront to the rule of law and judicial supremacy.
“Prince Marcon Nlemigbo is using his proxies to inundate the police, DSS, and other security agencies with frivolous petitions, all aimed at intimidating the rightful landowners. But thanks to the professionalism and integrity of our security agencies, these desperate efforts have largely failed,” Anyanwu said.
He emphasized that Nlemigbo’s claims are baseless, false, and without legal foundation, noting that the Supreme Court of Nigeria had long settled the ownership of the disputed land in favor of the Akpelu family, making any contrary claims not just contemptuous but potentially criminal.
Legal experts at the event also pointed out the dangerous precedent being set by individuals who attempt to undermine the judiciary by challenging or ignoring the clear verdicts of the Supreme Court.
Prominent constitutional lawyer, Barrister Ifeoma Maduabuchi, stated that in a constitutional democracy like Nigeria, no individual, however influential, has the right to violate or disregard a Supreme Court judgment.
“When the Supreme Court speaks, it is final and binding on all persons and authorities. What Nlemigbo is doing amounts to self-help and illegality. His so-called claims of purchasing land from a federal parastatal cannot override a Supreme Court judgment affirming ownership rights to the Akpelu family,” Maduabuchi said.
Human rights activist and Executive Director of the Centre for Citizens’ Rights Advocacy (CCRA), Dr. Chijioke Eze, went further to accuse Nlemigbo of endangering lives through his actions.
“There are already credible reports of threats to the lives of members of the Akpelu family and the developers they brought into the community. This is a direct result of the atmosphere of fear and intimidation that Nlemigbo and his collaborators are deliberately creating,” Eze stated.
He called on the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the DSS to ensure that security agencies are not manipulated or used as tools of oppression against defenseless citizens exercising their lawful rights.
In a strongly-worded communique, the coalition called on Governor Hope Uzodimma to immediately investigate and sanction any state government officials found colluding with individuals who are violating judicial orders and undermining the stability of communities in Imo State.
“It is ironic and tragic that appointees serving a governor whose own electoral mandate was restored by the Supreme Court are now complicit in the violation of Supreme Court judgments in the case of others. This must not be allowed to stand,” the communique stated.
The coalition also warned that they would mobilize mass protests and seek international attention if the harassment, intimidation, and abuse of judicial authority continued unchecked.
Meanwhile, sources within the security agencies have confirmed that despite several petitions submitted by proxies of Nlemigbo, investigations so far have not found credible evidence to support the allegations against the Akpelu family and their developers.
A senior police officer, speaking anonymously, confirmed that all parties have been advised to respect the Supreme Court judgment and seek only lawful means to resolve any grievances.
For now, tension remains palpable in Nkaraha community, but local observers say the strong intervention by civil society groups, legal experts, and youth movements has shifted public sympathy overwhelmingly in favor of the Akpelu family and the cause of judicial supremacy.
As events continue to unfold, many Nigerians are watching to see whether justice will be upheld—and whether impunity will be decisively resisted.
Efforts to reach the accused were unsuccessful, as his phone number was not reachable at the time of filing this report.
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