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By Akpan David, Calabar
The call for the removal of Chief Magistrate Ikpi Ikpi Abam from Biase judicial division has been rejected by stakeholders and traditional heads of some communities in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State.
They wrote a letter dated 1st August 2023 to the state Chief Judge, Justice Akon Ikpeme, describing the calls to transfer him was uncalled for.
It would be recalled that a peaceful protest was staged in Calabar by some community leaders from theee villages, calling for redeployment of Magistrate Ikpi Abam who presides over the Biase Magistrate. They cited alleged threats to peace and harmony.
However, the Ehom Central) Village Council rejected the said protest.
Head of the council, Obort (Engr) Onda I. Onda (King) said the three villages who carried out the protest did not have the mandate to speak for Biase as there are over 100 gazetted villages in the area.
According to him, the protest was “deceitful and misleading”, as the issue has to do with contempt and failure to attend court without explanation.
He informed the state Chief Judge that “most of those criminal cases against them (leaders of the protesters) were instituted long before the Chief Magistrate Abam was posted to the court and were to start denovo and they have never appeared before him.
“The demonstration of these criminal suspects from the three communities (Iwuru Obio Ntan, Ekpri – Iko and Ugbem) is a political gimmick, unjustifiable, fraudulent and mischievous.
“The aim is to rubbish and ridicule the Magistrate court in Biase LGA so that their criminal activities be covered.
“Any attempt to uphold their intention will amount to setting a very dangerous precedent to that level of the judiciary”, he said.
Similarly, HRH Atte Obhort Sunday Eyong, the Atte Obhort of Akpet Nation/Clan Head of Akpet Central as well as Chief Stanley Assem, Secretary General of Akpet Nation /Chief Of Ahoma rejected the protest.
In a separate letter to the state Chief Judge dated 16 August 2023, they informed her “to use your good office to discountenance the protest based on its frivolities”.
They added that they are aware that three chiefs from Ugbem were facing criminal charge before the Chief Magistrate and everybody is equal before the law.
“If bench warrants were issued by the presiding Magistrate against persons guilty of contempt, this is in line with the law.
“It does not give those that committed same, the impetus to protest – scheming to escape from the wrath of the law.
“Those that have pending bench warrant against them should be advised to honourably face the law rather than engaging in superficialities as nobody is above the law” they said.
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