Court restrains El-Rufai from sacking district, village heads in Kaduna

High Court of Justice sitting ‎in Kafanchan, Kaduna State has granted an interim injunction restraining Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai from removing District heads and Village heads in the state from office pending the determination of Motion on Notice.

The interim injunction also restrained the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Jaafaru Ibrahim Sani, Kaduna Ministry of local government affairs, Adara traditional council, Gbagyi traditional council and Attorney General of Kaduna State either by themselves or via their agents, servants and privies from acting on the directives contained in the letter of the 3rd defendants to the 5th and 6th defendants dated the 12th June, 2017 wherein the 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants/respondents directed the 5th and 6th Defendants among others to take steps to fill the offices of District and Village Heads within their domains pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice.

Similarly, an order of interim injunction is also granted restraining the Defendants/Respondents from doing anything which has the consequences of being prejudicial to the plaintiffs continued occupation of their offices pending the hearing ‎and determination of the Motion on Notice.

Mr Stephen A. Gimba, Mr Gajere Dantawaye, Mr Ishaku ‎Yari, Alhaji Gambo Yaro who are plaintiffs in the suit No. KDH/KAF/107/2017 had prayed for an order of Interim Injunction restraining the Defendants/Respondents either by themselves or via their agents, servants and privies from acting on the directives contained in the letter of the 3rd defendants to the 5th and 6th defendants dated the 12th June, 2017 wherein the 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants/Respondents directed the 5th and 6th Defendants among others to take steps to fill the offices of District and Village Heads within their domains pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice.

The plaintiffs also prayed for an order of interim injunction restraining the Defendants/Respondents from doing anything which has the consequences of being prejudicial to the plaintiffs’ continued occupation of their offices pending the hearing ‎and determination of the Motion on Notice and such further and/or other orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.

According to the presiding judge, Honourable Justice S.S Daka, the restraining order which was signed by him and the Assistant Chief Registrar Esther B. Yayit dated the 20th day ‎of June, 2017 was based on the presentation of Abdullahi Bello Esq counsel to the applicants.

Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned to 29th June, 2017 for hearing on the Motion on Notice.

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