Legal Implications Of Having Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Kotonkarfe As Part Of Igala Kingdom

Except there is an appeal, and if the judgment of the lokoja federal high court is anything to go by, the Chiefs in Lokoja, Koton karfe and Ajaokuta would now begin to pay tribute to the Attah Igala, Chief Michael Idakwo henceforth.

Recall that Justice Okoro. D.U of the federal high court lokoja, yesterday delivered judgment on a matter brought before it by the Attah Igala in 2017, seeking his overlord over Ajaokuta, Lokoja and Kotonkarfe.

Delivering his Judgment, Justice D. U. Okoro said that the issue is not that of land ownership but jurisdiction, pointing out that since the agreement between Ajayi Crowther and Queen of England in 1841 was not renewed and returned back to the Attah Igala, consequently the Attah’s jurisdiction subsist with no agreement showing that the federal owns the area. He thereafter awarded a compensation of N10billion against the federal government for the use of the land all this while.

Speaking with a legal luminary on the matter, Barr. J.U. Usman said the matter is however subject to appeal because of the subject matter, said it can equally be settled amicably through compromise since so many waters may have passed under the bridge since 1841.

He said the procedure to take ownership from the Attah Igala after the past agreements, was not followed by the federal government according to the judgment. He said what the judgment looked at was not on who presently own Kotonkarfe, Lokoja, Ajaokuta, but said since the ownership of the land was given out in 1841 and the agreement terminated, and returned back to the Attah Igala by the federal government since then, places ownership still under the Attah Igala, reason for the compensation.

By the judgment which has caused great concern to many in the state, what it means is that ownership of the areas under the Attah Igala’s overlord is not the problem but because no agreement.

Nigerian Post .

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