…Orders payment of his salary arrears
John Adams, Minna
A Minna High Court has upheld the dismissal from office of the Amana of Kakanda, the village head of Muye in Lapai local government area of Niger state, Alhaji Abdulqadir Muhammad Maigari.
The presiding Judge, Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar however ordered the payment of salary arrears due to the royal father while on suspension before his eventual dismissal from office by government.
It could be recalled that the village head was dismissed by government in 2021 after accusing him of gross insubordination for blowing royal trumpets during official outings.
The embattled Royal father however approached the court in a suit filed by his counsels, N.A Tanko and A. N. Musu praying the court to declare his dismissal illegal, null and void.
The plaintiffs including some traditional title holders and Chief Imam of Muye sought eight reliefs of the court to reinstall him and effect payment of his withheld salary arrears.
The plaintiffs in addition, prayed the court to declare that the royal father is the Amana of Kakanda/ village head of Muye and cannot be punished/ sanctioned for acts or omissions not provided for in law and that he was not given fair hearing before his dismissal, the reliefs which the court refused.
The governor of Niger State, Lapai Local Government council, Etsu Lapai, Alhaji Umaru Bago III and two others were listed as defendants in the matter.
In a ruling delivered on 31st October 2023, the judge dismissed seven out of eight reliefs sought by the plaintiffs but granted relief no.3 which was in favour of payment of the royal father’s withheld salary arrears during his suspension before the dismissal.
Justice Maimuna Abubakar in her ruling, held that the 1st plaintiff was given fair hearing before his dismissal having been queried on two different occasions and the queries were answered while he also presented documents in defence to the committee, adding that, ” the contention of the plaintiffs that the 1st plaintiff was not given fair hearing by the investigative committee is false”.
In the final analysis, the court held the the plaintiffs failed to establish their case to be entitled to the reliefs sought except relief No 3 which has to do with payment of salary arrears. She said, “Consequently, reliefs 1,2,4,5,6,7 and 8 are hereby refused while relief 3 is granted as follows:
“The court hereby direct the 2nd defendant to pay to the 1st plaintiff all his arrears of salaries as the village head of Muye on grade level 07/06 from 15th April 2020 when he was appointed till 20th May 2021 when he was removed/dismissed “, the judge ordered.