Court orders Sokoto to halt further action on dethronement of district heads

A high court in Sokoto has ordered the state government to maintain status quo on matters pertaining to the dethronement of district heads.

Kabiru Ahmed, the presiding judge, ruled that the order is valid pending the hearing and determination of the motion for interlocutory injunctions.

In April 2024, Ahmad Aliyu, governor of Sokoto, sacked 15 district heads for allegedly aiding insecurity and engaging in land racketeering.

In separate suits, the applicants — Buhari Tambuwal and Abubakar Kassim — sued the governor, attorney-general of the state, and Sokoto Sultanate Council over their removal as district heads.

In a sworn affidavit, Tambuwal said he learnt that a committee was set up to investigate the appointment of district heads by the former governor of Sokoto.

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Tambuwal said he received his termination letter from the Sokoto Sultanate Council, adding that the termination was based on the committee’s recommendations.

He added that he was not given fair hearing before his termination, which he said, violated his rights.

Tambuwal argued that his termination is “punitive, capricious, and a gross abuse of power” since some district heads, who were appointed alongside him, were not removed.

The applicants told the court that attempts by the Sokoto governor to appoint a new district head during the ongoing legal process would cause irreparable harm.

In his ruling, Ahmed granted the request of maintenance of status quo ante bellum and stay of all actions or further actions pertaining to the removal of district heads in Sokoto.