The Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kafanchan has dismissed preliminary objections filed by the Kaduna State Government in a case brought against it by four sacked district heads of Adara Chiefdoms seeking to quash last year’s restructuring of district and village heads in the state, which cost them their jobs.
Justice L.D. Aba ruled that contrary to the state government’s claim that only the National Industrial Court can entertain the suit, the high court has jurisdiction to hear the suit because the main issue there is restructuring of district and village heads. Messrs Stephen Gimba, Gajere Dantawaye, Ishaku Yari and Alhaji Gambo Yari had on June 17, last year sued the Governor of Kaduna State, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Commissioner for Local Government, Adara and Gbayi Traditional Councils and state Attorney General. They sought to quash the defendants’ letter of June 7, last year which sacked them from their stools following the reorganisation.
In dismissing the preliminary objection, Justice Aba ruled that the plaintiffs’ principal claims are about the restructuring of district and village heads and that other reliefs sought are ancillary to that. He also ruled that National Industrial Court has no jurisdiction over the principal reliefs sought.
Kaduna State governor Nasiru el-Rufa’i had last year sacked about 4,000 district and village heads and their officials.
