By Ken Chiwendu
The High Court sitting in Sokoto has issued an order restraining Governor Ahmed Aliyu from sacking two of the 15 District Heads his government earlier removed from their seats.
The presiding judge, Justice Kabiru Ahmed, ordered the governor, his
Attorney General and the Sokoto Sultanate Council to revert to status quo, pending the determination of the suit filed before him by the complainants, who were represented by Ibrahim Abdullahi (SAN).
The judge ruling on the order sought separately by Buhari Tambuwal and Abubakar Kassim, the District Heads of Tambuwal and Kebbe respectively, who are among the rulers removed by the Sokoto State Government, on the allegation of insurbodination and aiding insecurity in the state.directed the defendants, their agents servants, privies or assigns or any person acting on their behalves to “maintain status quo and or stay all actions and or further actions in connection with all matters dealing with and or appertaining to the removal and or dethronement of
Districts Heads in Sokoto State”.
He said all actions be stayed particularly those of Kebbe and Tambuwal, pending the hearing and determination of the motion for interlocutory injunction duly filed before the court.
The order came amid allegations by a religious organisation, the Muslims Rights Concern (MURIC), that the state government was plotting to dethrone the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.
The allegations prompted the Vice President,Kasshim Shettima to warn that the Sultan is an institution that must be jealously guarded and protected.
But the Sokoto State Government denied the allegations saying it has no plan to remove the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s moslems.
