A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Calabar has dismissed a petition against media personality Miss Ursula Onah Agbor due to lack of particulars in the charges, according to Barrister Okoi Obono-Obla, who represented Miss Agbor in court. Obono-Obla stated that the court’s decision was based on the argument that the charges were incompetent, vague and defective, violating Miss Agbor’s fundamental right to fair hearing.
“A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting at Moore Road, Calabar, presided over by Chief Magistrate E. Ecoma, has declined jurisdiction to hear and determine a four-count charge brought by the Nigeria Police Force, Calabar, against media personality Miss Ursula Onah Agbor.
“In a considered ruling delivered today, 13 August 2025, Chief Magistrate Ecoma upheld the submission of Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, learned counsel to Miss Agbor, that the four-count charge preferred against the Defendant was incompetent, vague and incurably defective due to the failure to provide sufficient particulars to enable the Defendant to adequately defend herself—an omission that constitutes a violation of her fundamental right to fair hearing as entrenched by.
“Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and section 216 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Cross River State 2016.
“Consequently, Chief Magistrate Ecoma struck out the charge and discharged and acquitted the Defendant, Miss Agbor.
“Chief Obono-Obla, Mrs Justina Obono-Obla, Barrister B. Olusegun and Dr. Sam Eboh represented Miss Agbor in Court.”
By: Okoi Obono-Obla
