By Our Correspondent.
The High Court of Rivers State, sitting in the Port Harcourt Judicial Division, has dismissed an appeal filed by Kate Ngbor against Chief Sam Ngbor, thereby upholding in full the judgment of the lower court.
Delivering judgment on Monday, December 22, 2025, Hon. Justice F. Onyiri ruled that the Notice of Preliminary Objection raised in the matter lacked merit and was consequently dismissed.
The court further held that the substantive appeal failed and was accordingly dismissed, affirming the earlier decision and effectively bringing the legal dispute to an end at the High Court level.
Before the ruling, counsel to both parties — Femi Bobade, Esq. for the appellant and E. O. Erhirhi, Esq. for the respondent — had adopted their written briefs and made oral submissions in support of their respective arguments.
The judgment followed an earlier decision delivered on February 24, 2024, in which the High Court affirmed the ruling of the Obio Customary Court that barred Mrs. Kate Sam Ngbor from further bearing or using the name of Chief Sam Ngbor.
In its final orders, the court made no award as to costs. The judgment was issued under the seal of the court in Port Harcourt and signed by the Assistant Chief Registrar I (Litigation), Igwe John Promise (ACA).
