A witness identified as Abraham Uwua on Tuesday told Benue State High Court in Makurdi, that the information in his witness statement was based on what he heard from his lawyer.
Mr. Uwua appeared as a witness in the suit he filed alongside Terlumun Tyav, Terwase Zeku (suing for themselves and on behalf of Tse-Agbuu, Utuur Community), Pastor Cyprian Terwase (Suing on behalf of himself and Ikyov/Mbachume, Utuurn Community, Bar council ward of Makurdi Local government area) against Dr. Peter Adejoh, Engr. Mike Jijingi, the Government of Benue State, Commissioner for Land & Solid Minerals, Benue State and Attorney General and Commisoner of Justice, Benue State.
When the matter came up for continuation of hearing, Mr. Uwua who was led in evidence by his counsel, Doowuese Adike adopted his witness statement before the Court.
While under cross examination from counsel to Dr. Peter Adejoh, Samuel Adama, Mr. Uwua was asked if all the information contained in his witness statement before the court were based on what he heard from the lawyer that was appointed by the community to negotiate compensation with the Benue State Government on their behalf over their land, and Mr. Uwua answered in the affirmative.
Another witness, Zaki Gabriel Yagba who claimed in his statement that Dr. Adejoh and officials of the Benue State Government brought police to chase them away from the disputed land, while under cross examination told the court that, he never saw Dr. Adejoh or officials of the Benue State Government with Police or security personnel on their community land.
Yagba who stated in his witness statement that he was one of those who signed the Power of Attorney given to Barrister Mbafan Ekpendu to represent the community in the negotiations could not identify his signature when the document was shown to him.
The plentiffs thereafter closed their case after the testimony of the two witnesses, which brought the total number of witnesses called by the plentiff to four (4).
The presiding judge, Justice Tertsea Kume thereafter adjourned the matter to July 11, 2024 for the defendants to open their defense.
In the suite number MHC/179/23 the Plaintiffs alleged that the Benue State Government wants to compulsorily acquire their ancestral land and sell to a developer without payment of any form of compensation among others.
They are seeking an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants by themselves, their agents or anyone acting by or through them from compulsorily taking over the communal land situated at Tse Agbuu, Mbachugh, Utuurn Community and Ikyouv/Mbachugh, Utuurn Community, all of Bar council ward of Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, for any purpose order than overriding public interest, among others.
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In his reply to the suit, the first defendant, Dr. Peter Adejoh denied ever engaging anyone to use bulldozer to destroy or grade the farm land, crops and economic trees of the plentiff.
He also avers that he has never at any material time personally owned or possessed any land with the plentiff’s community or claims any form of interest or exercised any act owner is in respect of same.
