Relocation: Oyo asks court to dismiss butchers’ suit

Oyo State government has prayed the court to ‎dismiss a case brought against it by some butchers.

It accused the group of not having the right to sue the state government.

The case which is before Justice M. O. Fadeyi, Court 14 of the state high court, Ring road, Ibadan with suit number 1/1209/2014 is challenging the decision of the government to move all the butchers and abbattoir operators in the state to a central location

In his submission, the state counsel, Mr. Najeem Abiodun asked the court to dismiss the suit.

The claimants are: Abdul Lateef Salau for‎ himself and on behalf of all butchers in Egbeda local government and Muritala Babalola from Ona Ara local government,

Others are: Sulaiman Adesola from Lagelu Local government, Yekini Olaiya from Oluyole local government and Alhaji Taju Oni from Ido local government, while the state government is the defendant

The state government had during the first term of the Governor Ajimobi led administration commissioned a bigger and modern abattoir in Akinyele local government area of the state.

The Governor had also given a directive that all the butchers from across all the 33 LGs should relocate to the ultra-modern facility to improve hygiene and other health-related matters.

The butchers, however, flouted the directive and challenges the government’s decision in the court.

Counsel to the claimants, a former attorney general of the state, Mr. Micheal Adelana‎ in his submission said a state government had no power to establish or maintain slaughter slabs, slaughter houses or markets in the state.

The state counsel however told the court to dismiss the application insisting that the claimants had no right to sue the governor, and or his government on the matter.

The judge, however, adjourned the case till March 30, 2017 for further hearing on the case.

#Oyo