Justice Maimuna Abubakar of a Minna High Court has upheld the removal and dismissal of Amana Kakanda, the village head of Muye in Niger State, Abdulqadir Muhammad Maigari from office over gross insubordination in the state.
Mairiga was sacked during the immediate past administration of Governor Abubakar Bello in 2021 after being accused of gross insubordination by blowing royal trumpets during official outings.
The village head, alongside some title holders from Muye then filed a suit at the high court through his Counsel, N. A Tanko and A. N Musu, challenging his removal while praying for the court to declare his dismissal illegal, null and void.
The complainants sought eight reliefs of the court to reinstall the embattled village head and effect payment of his withheld salary arrears.
They also prayed for the court to declare that the traditional ruler is the Amana of Kakanda/ village head of Muye and therefore, cannot be punished/ sanctioned for acts or omissions not provided for in law while claiming that he was not given a fair hearing before his dismissal.
Giving her ruling on the 31st of October 2023, the presiding judge, Justice Abubakar dismissed seven out of eight reliefs requested by the plaintiffs.
She, however, granted relief no.3 which was in favour of payment of the embattled royal father’s withheld salary arrears during the period of his suspension before final dismissal while reliefs 1,2,4,5,6,7 and 8 were refused.
According to her, the complainants failed to establish their case to be entitled to the reliefs sought except relief No. 3 which pertained to the payment of salary arrears.
Justice Abubakar further stated,” The contention of the plaintiffs that the 1st plaintiff was not given a fair hearing by the investigative committee is false. He was given a fair hearing before his dismissal having been queried on two different times and the queries were answered while he also presented documents in defence to the committee”,
“The court hereby directs 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,” she added.
The governor of Niger State, Lapai Local Government Council, Etsu Lapai Alh. Umaru Bago III and two others were named as defendants in the case.
