Nigerian court orders Akwa Ibom authorities to assess compensation for school
The High Court of Akwa Ibom State in Uyo, Nigeria, has ordered the state government to assess and pay due compensation within three months for the compulsory acquisition and takeover of the private Christian Secondary School in Afia-Etoi. If the government fails to comply with the ruling, the founder’s heirs will be entitled to reclaim the school.
As Premium Times Nigeria reports, the ruling was delivered by Judge A. Archibong on July 14, 2026. The lawsuit was filed on August 8, 2022, by five children of the late John Ebong — Samuel, Ekong, Moses, Blessing and Peace Ebong.
The school was taken over in 1977
The plaintiffs stated that their father had founded and maintained Christian Secondary School with his own funds since 1972. In 1977, the institution was compulsorily acquired and taken over by the then Cross River State government. Akwa Ibom inherited the school after it was created from Cross River in 1987.
The Ebong family maintained that the authorities had neither assessed the property nor paid compensation, although the school’s founder had repeatedly demanded this. The court ruled that state legislation provides the owner with the right to adequate compensation for the acquisition, takeover and operation of the institution.
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The court did not set a specific amount
The heirs sought 430.49 million Nigerian naira in compensation based on a valuation report by Godwin Timothy & Co dated September 29, 2017. They also demanded 1.569 billion naira in interest on the unpaid compensation.
The court rejected the claims for those specific amounts but ordered the government to assess and pay due compensation. If, after the three-month deadline expires, the government does not carry out an assessment and make the payment, the plaintiffs will be able to reclaim the school, while the state authorities and their representatives will be barred from further using and managing it.
The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Ndifreke Akpan, said that at the time of speaking to the outlet, the state government had not said whether it would comply with the ruling or file an appeal. Akwa Ibom State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Uko Udom did not respond to journalists’ inquiries.
