JEEEZZZZ!!! Bakassi Returnees Sue FG for N30bn

Bakassi Returnees of Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State Extraction have sued the Federal Government for N30, 000, 000, 000 (Thirty Billion Naira).
In a Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim both filed on the 13th of September, 2012 and made
available to our reporter, the Plaintiffs Engr. Bassey Augustine Efiong, Silas Clement Etim, Efiong Bassey Ekanem and Imaobong Edem Efiong (Suing for themselves and on behalf of Bakassi Returnees of Uruan Local Government Area Extraction) are Claiming against the Defendants The Federal Republic of Nigeria, The Attorney General of the Federation, The National Assembly, Cross River State Government, Akwa Ibom State Government and Independent National Electoral Commission as follows;

1. A Declaration that the Defendants acted outrageously, recklessly, atrociously and unconscionably in their handling of the Bakassi Peninsula hand over issue.

2. A Declaration that the Defendants betrayed the fiduciary relationship between them and the Plaintiffs by not acting in the best interest of the Plaintiffs vis a vis the handing over of Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroon.

3. A Declaration that the Plaintiffs were vulnerable as far as the issue of the handing over of the Bakassi Peninsula by the 1st Defendant is concerned and the Defendants took undue advantage of the Plaintiffs’ vulnerability thereby recklessly inflicting severe emotional distress on the Plaintiffs.

4. A Declaration that the failure of the 6th Defendant to register the Plaintiffs in the voters register has deprived the Plaintiffs of their voting rights both in the April 2011 general elections and the July 2012 local government elections.

5. An Order directing the 1st, 4th and 5th Defendants to immediately provide basic amenities like schools, health centers, portable water, proper accommodation and means of transportation in the Plaintiffs’ new settlements.

6. An Order directing the 6th Defendant to immediately commence the registration of eligible voters in the Plaintiffs’ new settlements.

7. N20, 000,000,000 (Twenty Billion naira) as general damages.

8. N10, 000,000,000 (Ten Billion Naira) on the footing of exemplary damages.

When the matter came up at the Federal High Court 7 presided over by Justice Mohamed yesterday (31st January, 2013), Barrister Ukeme Ekpenyong (Counsel to the Plaintiffs) objected to the Appearance announced by the Counsel to the National Assembly (3rd Defendant) and that of The Independent National Electoral Commission (6th Defendant) on the grounds that their appearance is not in conformity with the provisions of Order 7 rule 1 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2004 which prescribes mode for entering appearance.

The Court sustained the objection raised by Bar. Ekpenyong and adjourned the case to the 6th of March, 2013 for further mention to enable the Counsel regularize their appearance before the Court.