By Dennis Agbo

The Enugu State High Court has nullified the creation of Ukwuna Autonomous Community, which was established in 2023 within Enugu North Local Government Area, declaring the action inconsistent with existing laws governing autonomous communities in the state.

In a judgment delivered on December 16, 2025, Justice C. O. Ajah (PhD) held that the creation of Ukwuna Autonomous Community lacked a lawful foundation, as there was no legally recognised autonomous community known as Enugu-Ngwo within Enugu North Local Government Area from which Ukwuna could validly emerge.

The suit, marked No. E/642/2024, was instituted by the recognised autonomous communities of Ogui-Nike and Umunevo Ogui-Nike, who sought judicial interpretation of the applicable laws regulating the creation and recognition of autonomous communities in Enugu State.

In his ruling, Justice Ajah examined the Enugu State Autonomous Communities (Recognition) Law, Cap 41, Laws of Enugu State, 2004, and noted that the Schedule to the Law recognises only two autonomous communities within Enugu North Local Government Area—Ogui-Nike and Umunevo Ogui-Nike.

The court held that no evidence, either oral or documentary, was presented to establish the existence of any other autonomous community legally recognised within Enugu North Local Government Area as of May 25, 2023, when Ukwuna Autonomous Community was created.

Justice Ajah stated that the court’s determination was limited to the issue of compliance with due process and statutory requirements, noting that the originating summons before the court sought clarification on the legality of the creation and recognition of Ukwuna Autonomous Community within the affected local government area.

The court further clarified that while there are indigenous groups and settlements associated with Ngwo within Enugu North Local Government Area, such settlements have not been recognised by law as autonomous communities under the applicable statutory framework.

Consequently, the court declared the creation and recognition of Ukwuna Autonomous Community within Enugu North Local Government Area null and void for lack of statutory backing.

The court also granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs, including an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents or privies, from further recognising or treating Ukwuna Autonomous Community—or any similar entity—as a legally recognised autonomous community within Enugu North Local Government Area, except in accordance with the provisions of the law.