Court Update:Bid to Force Igbo Exit from Nigeria Hits Dead End

Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit brought by a Coalition of Northern Groups, led by Nastura Shariff, Balarabe Rufa’i, Abdul-Aziz Sulaiman, and Aminu Adam, seeking the exit of Igbos in the South East from Nigeria.

The judge struck out the case due to the absence of the plaintiffs and their lack of legal representation, noting that the Northern groups had not attended court since 2022.

The plaintiffs’ request to compel the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives to expedite the secession of the southeastern region was rejected, and the case was dismissed for want of diligent prosecution.

The Northern group argued that allowing the Igbo to exit Nigeria would prevent violence and destruction in the South-East, ending the possibility of a repeat of the 1967-1970 Civil War.

They sought a declaration for a referendum on self-determination for the south-eastern region and urged the court to instruct legislative action towards achieving this goal.