By Yemi Monday
The District Head of Kalmai in Billiri Local Government Area (lga) of Gombe State, Zubairu Ahmadu, and three others, have been dragged before a Gombe State High Court for allegedly depriving some women their inherited farms from their late father.
A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Global Pan Africanism Network (GPAN) which filed the suit against the District Head accused him of conspiring with Julius Lamido, Jude Maigari and Dolton Amin Toddo to deny the women the farms on the basis of their gender.
Counsel to the North-East regional office of GPAN, Barrister Ibrahim Ambore Nuhu, who appeared for the plaintiffs during the Court’s first sitting for mentioning of the case last week Thursday, told journalists in an interview that the suit seeks the order of the court confirming that the plaintiffs are the owners of farmland located at Ladongor, Lakwantangalan and Lakaikai and a house erected on the land at Kalmai, Billiri LGA of Gombe State.
The petitioners are also demanding the Court to set aside the sale of any portion of the plaintiffs’ inherited farmland at Ladongor and Kalmai in Billiri LGA sold by the fourth defendant to the first, second and third defendants without the consent of the plaintiffs.
Ibrahim Ambore said that, “By virtue of the validity test of customary law and section 42 of the 1999 constitution, the plaintiffs are entitled to inherit their late father’s (Amin Toddo’s) properties.”
According to him, “We need an order of this honourable court that the farmland located and situated at Ladongor, Lakwantangalan, Lakaikai and the house erected on the land and any other properties left by their late father, Amin Toddo, at Kalmai, Billiri, Gombe State to be distributed from their mother’s side (Kebba) to the heirs of late Amin Toddo i.e. the plaintiffs and the 4th defendant.”
The legal Practitioner also said that, “An order of this honourable court restraining the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants, their servants, or privies from further interfering or trespassing on the farmland located at Ladongor, Kalmai Billiri Gombe State”.
However, Counsel to the defendants, Barrister Ishaku David, told the court that his clients needed some time to react to the summon notice served on them. He also applied to the court for some days to respond.
The Presiding Judge, Daurabo Suleiman Sikkam, granted the application of the defence counsel and adjourned sitting to 27th April 2023.