Boki Communities Sue Cross River Govt Over Unpaid Rent and Presco Lease
Traditional rulers and community leaders from Nsadop and Abayum in Boki LGA have filed a suit in the High Court, Okundi-Boki. They challenge the handover of their 13,528-hectare oil palm estate to Presco Plc without community consent. The plaintiffs include chiefs and indigenes who trace the dispute to a 1964 lease agreement with the former Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation. They allege the state inherited ENDC’s liabilities but failed to pay annual ground rent or compensate for destroyed economic trees. A 2004 consent judgment ordered Cross River State to settle arrears of N611.3 million, yet only N5 million was paid. The communities further accuse the government of signing a 99-year MoU with Presco Plc and receiving N2 billion without their approval. They ask the court to void the lease and MoU as fraudulent, declare the original agreement forfeited, and award outstanding rent with interest plus N500 million in damages. The case is set for hearing on July 7, 2026.
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