Court Judgment: Ogui-Nike Stakeholders Insist Ngwo Has No Territorial Claim In Enugu North LG
The Ogui-Nike Stakeholders have Affirmed Court Decision that no part of Ngwo Community extends to Enugu North Local Government Area (LGA) or Nkanu Land in general.
The stakeholders gave the affirmation in a meeting held at Lyon De Gold Hotel and Resort, Enugu.
Addressing the stakeholders, the Convener of the meeting and a Traditional Chief from Ogui-Nike, Dr Samuel Ngwu, reminded his people (the stakeholders) that “we can no longer be intimidated after the clear cut judiciary pronouncement”.
Ngwu, who is a Fellow American College of Physicians and former Enugu State Commissioner for Health, said: “Ogui-Nike birth rights are not negotiable and cannot be compromised”.
He advised the stakeholders of the need to hire a Constitutional Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to collaborate with Ogui-Nike legal luminaries and lawyers to advance this judiciary win for Ogui-Nike into the political arena of Enugu State.
“There is a need to constitute a Sub-Committee with our indigenous legal luminaries and lawyers as well as elders knowledgeable on political and public affairs.
“Set-up a legal fund to advance for our rights in our motherland.
“This is a generational pursuit, which is all about our children and other generations to come,” he said.
It would be recalled that in a judgment delivered on Dec.16, 2025, by Justice C. O. Ajah (PhD) held that the creation of Ukwuna Autonomous Community lacked a lawful foundation, as there was no legally recognised autonomous community known as Enugu-Ngwo within Enugu North Local Government Area from which Ukwuna could validly emerge.
The suit, marked No. E/642/2024, was instituted by the recognised autonomous communities of Ogui-Nike and Umunevo Ogui-Nike, who sought judicial interpretation of the applicable laws regulating the creation and recognition of autonomous communities in Enugu State.
In his ruling, Justice Ajah examined the Enugu State Autonomous Communities (Recognition) Law, Cap 41, Laws of Enugu State, 2004, and noted that the Schedule to the Law recognises only two autonomous communities within Enugu North Local Government Area —Ogui-Nike and Umunevo Ogui-Nike.
The court held that no evidence, either oral or documentary, was presented to establish the existence of any other autonomous community legally recognised within Enugu North Local Government Area as of May 25, 2023, when Ukwuna Autonomous Community was created.
Justice Ajah stated that the court’s determination was limited to the issue of compliance with due process and statutory requirements, noting that the originating summons before the court sought clarification on the legality of the creation and recognition of Ukwuna Autonomous Community within the affected local government area.
The court further clarified that while there are indigenous groups and settlements associated with Ngwo within Enugu North Local Government Area, such settlements have not been recognised by law as autonomous communities under the applicable statutory framework.
Consequently, the court declared the creation and recognition of Ukwuna Autonomous Community within Enugu North Local Government Area null and void for lack of statutory backing.
The court also granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs, including an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents or privies, from further recognising or treating Ukwuna Autonomous Community—or any similar entity—as a legally recognised autonomous community within Enugu North Local Government Area, except in accordance with the provisions of the law.