UGEP — An Ugep-based legal practitioner, Barrister James Iwara Ofem of James I. Ofem & Associates, alongside his legal team comprising Barrister Chief Ikpi Usani Onen and Okoi Iwara Ubi, has instituted a fundamental human rights suit against the Cross River State Government over the recent curfew imposed on the people of Ugep.
The suit, filed on 1 September 2026 and numbered HUG/5F/2026, seeks, among other reliefs, ₦100 billion in exemplary damages against the Cross River State Government.
According to the application, the applicants contend that the curfew allegedly resulted in violations of the fundamental human rights of affected residents.
The case is founded on four grounds and supported by a 14-paragraph affidavit and one exhibit.
Through the suit, the applicants are asking the court to examine the legality and constitutionality of the curfew and determine whether the fundamental rights of affected Ugep residents were infringed.
The applicants are seeking five reliefs from the court, including an order awarding ₦100 billion in exemplary damages against the Cross River State Government.
The matter now places the disputed curfew and questions surrounding its impact on residents' fundamental rights before the court for judicial determination.
As proceedings continue, the case is expected to bring further attention to the legal questions surrounding the curfew and its implications for the people of Ugep.
