PASTOR GODWIN INYANG RTD. CAPT. LONGJOHN ABULOMI EVANGELIST C. B. OKOSIEMIEMA (FOR THEMSELVES AND AS LEADING WORSHIPPERS IN THE NAME AND STYLE OF ‘HOLY NATIONAL CHURCH OF GOD’) V. THE REGISTERED TRUSTEES OF THE FIRST CENTURY GOSPEL CHURCH

ADEREMI JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): The appeal here is against the decision of the High Court of Rivers State sitting at Port Harcourt delivered on the 21st April, 1997, wherein the plaintiffs’(hereinafter called the respondents) claims were allowed by the trial Judge against the defendants (hereinafter called the appellants) jointly and severally. Suffice to say that the plaintiffs/respondents had claimed against the defendants/appellants jointly and severally the reliefs set out below:

“1. a declaration that the plaintiffs are the legal owners entitled to possession of the piece or parcel of land with the buildings therein, situate, lying and called plot A, B, C in block III native location Port Harcourt otherwise known and called No. 80 Aggrey road, Port Harcourt by virtue of a certificate of occupancy registered as No. 63 at page 63 in volume 119 of the land registry, Port Harcourt.

2.N20,000.00 (twenty thousand naira) assessed as general damages for trespass committed by…