By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Onitsha South Local Government Area led by the chairman, Emeka Orji, has announced plans to appeal a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Awka against the council, mandating it to pay the sum of N5 million in damages to Kake Petroleum over demolition of property

Other respondents to the case which judgement was delivered on Tuesday at the Awka Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/AWK/CS/75/2024 by the presiding judge, Justice B.M.K. Mohammed, include, Anambra State Government, the state Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Speaking to journalists, the Secretary of the Onitsha South Local Government Area, Paul Onuachalla said that the property in dispute is known as Ndende Market and Ose-Nkwu Market an old local market originally owned by the former Onitsha Local Government and later by the Onitsha South Local Government Area.

He said: “The council does not understand how Lake Petroleum came to lay claim to land that belongs to the government.

“We are challenging how the land was acquired, and that is the basis of our case”.

Onuachalla stressed that the council will appeal the judgment on the grounds that Lake Petroleum sought enforcement of fundamental human rights in a matter that, in the council’s view, primarily concerns title to land.

He added: “The core issue in contention is the title to the land, which Lake Petroleum is asserting. We are challenging the authenticity and validity of the documents they have presented, and that forms one of the grounds of our appeal.

“We are also dissatisfied with the court’s order restraining access to the said land when, in fact, the issue of title was not substantively addressed by the court.”

The LG Council's secretary said that the council’s legal team has applied for a Certified True Copy of the judgment and that the council will soon return to court to pursue the appeal.