A Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice Samuel Amobeda, has directed Kano State Government to pay a sum of N30 billion within seven days in an ongoing unlawful demolition suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Eid Shop Owners and Traders against the Kano Government.
The court’s order came after the Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Isah Haruna Dederi, contended that the case was centered around the ownership of the properties and asserted that the lands in question belonged to the Kano State Government.
Justice Samuel Amobeda, the presiding judge, ruled that the N30 billion should be deposited in the Court Bank Account within seven days. This payment serves as a condition established by the court before granting a motion filed by the judgment debtors/Applicants.
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The motion sought a stay of execution of the court’s previous judgment issued on September 29, 2023. In that judgment, the Kano State Government had been ordered to pay the Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Eid Shop Owners the same amount due to the unlawful demolition of their shops without following proper legal procedures.
Despite the court’s previous judgment, the Commissioner of Works for Kano State, Mr. Marwan Ahmed, was reported to have continued tampering with the properties, prompting a notice of consequences issued by Justice Amobeda against Mr. Ahmed.
The notice warned of potential contempt and imprisonment if the court’s order was not followed.
The Kano State Government had also sought a motion on notice for a stay of execution of the earlier judgment pending the decision of the Court of Appeal. In response, Justice Amobeda granted the motion with the condition that the state government pays the sum of N30 billion.
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The judge further ordered the funds to be deposited in the Court Account within seven days. According to the court’s instructions, the execution of the judgment from suit number FHC/KN/Cs/208/2023 will be stayed pending the appeal’s determination.
The judgment debtors/applicants were directed to pay the N30 billion judgment sum into the Court’s interest-yielding account within the specified timeline. Details of the account were to be obtained from the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court.
Justice Amobeda ruled that the deposited sum, along with accruing interests and after deducting administrative charges, will be paid to the party who succeeds in the appeal, as determined by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court. Attorney General Isah Haruna Dederi continued to assert that the case revolved around property ownership, emphasizing that the entire land belonged to the Kano State Government.