By Sylvia Akpan
The Cross River State House of Assembly has called for the establishment of probate registries in Ikom and Ogoja Local Government Areas, for the easy access for residents to gain legal documents needed to manage the property and assets of deceased relatives.
The resolution was reached during plenary on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, following the adoption of a motion sponsored by the member representing Bekwarra State Constituency, Hon. Charles Omang.
Probate services deal with legal processes that following the death of a person. These include obtaining official documents that allow family members or other authorized persons to take charge of a deceased person’s property, bank accounts, land, businesses, and other assets.
Leading the debate, Hon. Omang explained that many Cross Riverians currently face serious difficulties because probate services are available only at the Probate Department of the High Court in Calabar.
He noted that when a person dies without leaving a valid will, family members must obtain a document known as a Letter of Administration before they can legally manage or distribute the deceased person’s assets. At present, residents from all parts of the state must travel to Calabar to complete this process.
According to him, the situation places an unnecessary burden on citizens, particularly those coming from the Northern and Central Senatorial Districts.
“A Letter of Administration is a legal document issued by the court authoriysing a person to manage and distribute the assets of someone who died without a will,” Omang explained.
He added that many people travel long distances to Calabar to process the document, often spending several days away from home because of administrative procedures.
The lawmaker argued that establishing probate registries in Ikom for the Central Senatorial District and Ogoja for the Northern Senatorial District would bring services closer to the people, reduce delays, and improve the administration of estates across the state.
Contributing to the debate, several lawmakers noted the financial and logistical challenges faced by grieving families who must travel to Calabar to complete probate procedures.
They observed that decentralizing probate services would reduce congestion at the existing registry, speed up the processing of applications, and strengthen public confidence in the justice system.
Some lawmakers also pointed to the dangers associated with long-distance travel. They cited a case in which a man reportedly lost his life in a road accident while travelling from the Northern Senatorial District to Calabar to process documents relating to the estate of a deceased relative.
Following deliberations, the House resolved to urge the Cross River State Government, through the Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Akon Ikpeme, to take the necessary administrative and legal steps to establish and operationalize probate registries in the state’s three senatorial districts.
Lawmakers maintained that bringing probate services closer to the people would improve access to justice, reduce hardship for citizens, and ensure the timely settlement of matters relating to the property and assets of deceased persons.
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