Court documents have shown that a Sokoto State High Court has granted an ex-parte application restraining the state government from removal or appointing new district heads, pending a hearing of the motion for interlocutory injunction.
The presiding judge, Kabiru Ahmed, gave the order on June 13, 2024, in a suit filed by the district heads of Tambuwal and Kebbe, Buhari Tambuwal and Abubakar Kassim respectively.
The judge also mandated the defendants/respondents and their representatives, agents, servants and or privies [by whatever name called] to maintain status quo ante bellum and halt any actions related to the removal or dethronement of district heads in Sokoto State.
The suit, with cases no. SS/M.290/2024 and SS/M.293/202, have the Sokoto State Governor, Attorney General of the state, and the Sultanate Council as defendants.
Recall that in April, Governor Ahmed Aliyu sacked 15 district heads over alleged corruption, insubordination, and other offences.
However, in an affidavit evidence and the written addresses deposed before the court, Mr Tambuwal said he was removed without being granted a fair hearing.
He claimed that the termination of his appointment by the Sultanate Council “appeared punitive, capricious, and a gross abuse of power, especially since some other district heads appointed with him were not so removed.”
He further deposed that due to the actions of the defendants/respondents, “he has faced significant prejudice, anguish, embarrassment, financial loss, and had not received his monthly salary of N81,000 since his removal; and that despite these breaches, the Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, went ahead and set up another committee to draft a white paper, further indicating a malicious intent.”
On his part, Mr Kassim said the purported allegations he was confronted with parole by the committee set up by the Governor of Sokoto State, and which he responded to parole was done without having the opportunity to see his purported accusers nor allowed to ask them questions.
The arguments were submitted by the counsels to the applicant, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, and Ibrahim Abdullahi, SAN.
The court also considered the applicants’ argument that the respondents’ attempt to appoint a new district head during the ongoing legal process would cause irreparable harm if not restrained.
“The injunctive relief is to operate against the Governor of Sokoto State, the attorney general of Sokoto State, and the Sokoto sultanate council pending the hearing and determination of the motion for interlocutory injunction filed before the same court and fixed for 23rd of July, 2024,for hearing.
