Benue AFAN Crisis Deepen As Court Bars China Peters Led- Group From Parading, Operating In Benue

From Gabriel Agbo, Makurdi 

A State High Court sitting in Makurdi has issued an interim order restraining   a faction of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria(AFAN), Benue State chapter led by Pastor China Peters from operating and interfering with the activities of the authentic leadership of the  organisation led by Pastor Earnest Onwe Atoji in the State.

The order was issued in response to an ex parte motion presented on behalf of All Farmers Association, State Executives Council of AFAN as plaintiffs, by Pastor Earnest Onwe Atoji, John Vor, Dr. Godwin  Aondohemba Timium, Clement Hange, Mr. Moses Ayangeaor Temen, Mr. Umburga Gyakpo, Mrs. Veronica Oche Obekpa and Silas Agweye as first to nine applicants/plaintiffs.

The trial Judge, Justice F. N. Yuwa granted the interim order restraining the defendants/Respondents pending the hearing and determination of suit No. MHC/230/2026, and motion No. MHC/2057m/2026 which names Pastor  China Peters, Hon. Peter Edoh Adikpe, Chief Dr. David John Selu, Me. Joel Zungwe Batur, Hon. Gberkula Grace Dooshima, Elder Hindi Edward Anande, Alh. Jibril Terngu Gyuse, Mr. Emmanuel Abah,  Prince Martins Ochoche Onah and Comrade Adole Cletus Aruta as well as Comrade Andrew A. Nambe, Mrs. Magdalene Iorbee, Hon. Har Eric Terhemen, Mrs. Ochangwu Joy, Mr. Oke Hemen Basil, Mr. Manaseh Torsue and Hon. Ochi Elijah Ade as the first to seventeen Defendants/Respondents.

In the order made on July 3, 2026, and its Certified True Copy (CTC) made available to Daily Asset on Monday, the Judge held that, “The Defendants/Respondents are restrained, in the interim, from parading themselves  as the States' Executive of the 1st Plaintiff  pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice pending before his court. 

The judge also held that the Defendants/Respondents, by themselves, are hereby, in the interim, restrained from receiving, sharing or otherwise meddling with the fertiliser/ farm inputs shipped to Benue State, the Federal Ministry Agriculture and Food Security through the National Agriculture Funds department or any other body or  authority whatsoever meant for the members of the 1st Plaintiff in Benue State pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice pending before the honourable court.

The Court further averred that having carefully considered the application filed, perused exhibit G1-G6 respectively, there is need to restrain the Respondents, so that their action will not affect the provision of fertiliser to farmers in Benue State consequently affecting food production and food security in the State and Nigeria generally which according to him, would be difficult to adequately compensate.

"It is in this that the Court has to inquire into the merits of the Motion on Notice. There exists a good reason to grant the application and it is granted as prayed", Justice Yuwa said.

The Judge also granted leave to the plaintiffs/applicants to serve the Defendants/Respondents with all the originating processes as well as every subsequent processes in the suit by substituted means by pasting same at the door of the purported office of the defendant located at no 50 old Otukpo road high-level Makurdi, Benue State and adjourned  the matter to 22nd September, 2026 for substantive hearing.

Recalled that there has been a leadership tussle  among members of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Benue State chapter, shortly after the current leadership, led by Pastor Earnest Onwe Atoji was elected on 24th October, 2025.

The Pastor China Peters led- faction of AFAN  rejected the outcome of the election that brought in the current leadership, claiming that their tenure had not yet ended and continued to operate.

In view of the foregoing, the plaintiffs approached the court and prayed the court to restrain the Pastor  China Peters-led group from representing AFAN  anywhere in the State and beyond as the national president of AFAN whom they claimed, conducted their election was no longer president of AFAN as at the time the present Benue State  executives were duly constituted.

They sought an order of injunction, restraining Peter as 1st defendants to 17 others from parading themselves as State Executives of the organisation  in any capacity whatsoever, among other reliefs.

The group is aligned to the former AFAN, Natiinal President Arch. Kabiru Ibrahim whose tenure expired and had serialy lost two court cases at the lower and appellate courts to perpetuate himself in office.

Again on the 3rd July, 2026, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, presided over by Justice Godwin Iheabunike had dismissed an application filed by  Kabiru Ibrahim to restrain the Inspector General of Police (IGP) from proceeding with  criminal impersonation and other criminal charges against him.

Joined in the motion marked FCT/HC/CV/443/2026 and filed on 3rd February, 2026, were: the Registered Trustees of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Presiding Magistrates, Wuse, Abuja, Court 6 and Court 4, and three others as respondents. 

The applicant (Kabir Ibrahim) sought an order of injunction to restrain the respondents, their agents, privies, officers, servents, from commencing proceedings against him over the AFAN leadership dispute.

Kabiru Ibrahim in the motion claimed High Court Clears IGP To Prosecute Ex-AFAN President For Impersonation 

The presiding Judge in his judgement ruled in favour of the respondents 

"The parties are enjoined to allow the criminal proceedings before the Magistrate Court and the appeal  before the Supreme Court to proceed in accordance with law and without resort to needless multiplicity of actions.

"This Court must also state that the constitutional right of appeal, though secrad, does not by itself confer immunity from criminal investigation or prosecution. The proper remedy for preserving the responding appeal ordinarily lies in an application for stay before the apellete Court seized of the appeal.

"In the final analysis, this Court  is unable to hold that the criminal proceedings before the Magistrate Court constitute, without more, an excess of jurisdiction amenable to certiorari.

" The applicant has equally failed to establish that the Magistrate Court acted without jurisdiction or in breach of fair hearing principles", he said.