A Federal High Court in Kano has dismissed a suit filed by the Kano State Attorney General on behalf of the state government and 44 local governments, which sought to prevent the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from withholding statutory allocations to the local councils.
Justice S. M. Shuaibu struck out the case due to the failure of both the plaintiffs and the defendants to appear in court, despite hearing notices being served.
The plaintiffs had filed the suit against the Attorney General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance, the Accountant General of the Federation, the CBN, and the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
They sought an order restraining the defendants from interfering with the monthly allocations to the 44 local governments in Kano from the Federation Account.
The case had its first hearing on November 26, 2024, and was adjourned to January 23, 2025. However, neither the applicants nor the defendants attended the session.
A similar case filed by the APC is still pending before Justice Simon Ameboda.