Igbo Lawyers Seek To Be Joined In Suit By Northern Groups Asking For South East Exit From Nigeria

Some members of the Coalition of Northern Groups have asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the National Assembly to hasten the exit of the South East from Nigeria before concluding the ongoing constitutional amendment.

The plaintiffs, led by Nastura Ashir Shariff, Balarabe Rufa’I, Abdul-Aziz Sulaiman and Aminu Adam, in a supporting affidavit, said their action was informed by the need to contain violence and destruction being allegedly occasioned by the agitation for secession championed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

They said they did not want a repeat of the 1967 to 1970 civil war in Nigeria that cost the country millions of lives and property worth billions of naira.

The Attorney General of the Federation, the Senate president, the speaker of the House of Representatives and the National Asembly were listed as defendants in the suit.

In their reaction, lawyers from the South East, led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chuks Muoma, Ukpai Ukairo, Ebere Uzoatu and Obi Emuka, have applied to the court to join them as defendants in the suit.

They are asking for order of the court to allow them join in the suit as representatives of the people of the south eastern region.

In their application for joinder filed by Victor Onweremadu in Abuja Monday, they said the case of the Northern elders seeking the exit of South East from Nigeria had the capability to shape the life of the generation of Igbo people.

The motion on notice for the joinder request was brought pursuant to order 9 rule 5 and order 26 rule 2 of the federal high court civil procedure rule 2019.

The Igbo lawyers said they had interest to protect in the suit, hence, their request to be made defendants.

In their 12-paragraph affidavit in support of their application, the lawyers said the northern groups, in their suit, did not think it necessary to join the people of South East or their representatives to enable the court hear from them.