ETEIDUNG EDEM ANIEDI EBONG & 4 ORS V. CHIEF WILLIAM EFFIONG ETIM & 4 ORS

DELIVERED BY HAMMA AKAWU BARKA, JCA (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The instant appeal is against the judgment of the Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo Judicial Division and presided by Justice Charles U. Ikpe in suit No. HU/71/2017 between Etteidung Edem Aniedi Ebong and Four others suing for themselves and as representatives of Ifa Ikot Akpan village, Etoi in Uyo Local Government Area against Chief William Effiong Etim and 5 others suing for themselves and as representatives of Ibiaku Issiet village, Etoi in Uyo Local Government Area delivered on the 6th of March, 2019, wherein the lower court held that the suit of the plaintiffs was lacking in merit and thereby dismissed with N40,000.00 costs in favour of the defendants.

It should be recalled that the appellants herein on the 27th of February, 2017, took out a writ of summons against the respondents, and by the amended writ of summons filed on the 15th of May, 2017 and the accompanying statement of claim, sought for the f…