A taskforce known as “Team Obey Court Order” has been inaugurated to safeguard the rights of cocoa farmers at the Government Cocoa Estate in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State. The team is expected to ensure compliance with court rulings that restrain the state government from evicting allottees from their cocoa farms within the estate. Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mba Ukweni, who inaugurated the taskforce, said its primary mandate is to enforce obedience to existing court orders and restore order within the cocoa estate. Ukweni, counsel to the allottees, said a court had earlier granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the state government and its agents from evicting farmers from their legitimately allocated cocoa farms. According to him, the government cannot lawfully remove the farmers after collecting funds from them to offset royalties owed to host cocoa-producing communities for about 16 years. He urged members of the taskforce to focus on sensitising farmers and stakeholders on the need to respect the court order. Ukweni also cautioned the team to carry out its duties peacefully and avoid any form of violence. “Your activities must be peaceful and orderly. Do not resort to violence. Anyone disobeying the court order should be reported to the appropriate authorities,” he said. He outlined the taskforce’s terms of reference to include surveillance of the affected cocoa farms, identification of violators, and ensuring offenders are brought to justice. Meanwhile, individuals accused of violating the court order have been served Forms 48 and 49, warning them of the legal consequences of disobedience. Ukweni maintained that the state government must honour the agreement it entered into with the allottees and comply fully with the subsisting court order.