October 13, (THEWILL) – Justice Abdullahi Mikhailu of Niger State High Court, Minna has granted an interim injunction restraining the newly appointed Emir of Kontagora, Alhaji Mohammed Muazu Barau Kontagora, from parading himself as the 7th Emir and Sarkin Sudan of the emirate.
The order followed an ex-parte motion filed by Mohammed Anachie on behalf of 15 aggrieved contestants for the stool.
They prayed the court for an interim injunction restraining Baru as the substantive Emir of Kontagora pending the determination of the motion on notice before it.
The plaintiffs claimed that due process was not followed in the selection of a new emir.
The defendants in the motion are the new emir, Mohammed Barau Kontagora, the Attorney General of Niger State, and the Commissioner for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Ruling on the application, Justice Abdullahi Mikailu restrained the first defendant, Mohammed Barau Kontagora, from parading himself as the 7th Emir “pending the hearing and determination of the plaintiff/applicants’ Motion on notice dated and filed on 11/10/2021.”
The judge also restrained the five kingmakers from acting on the order of any other party in issuing a staff of office to the new Sarkin Sudan.
The case was adjourned till October 20, 2021 for further hearing.
The ruling reads in part: “An order of interim injunction is hereby made and issued restraining the 1st respondent, Alhaji Muhammad Barau from parading himself as the 7th Sarkin Sudan of Kontagora”.
“By virtue of its selection, purportedly had on the 19th day of September 2021, pending the hearing and determination of the plaintiff/applicants’ motion filled on the 11th of October, 2021”, the Judge said.
“In the second prayer, I hereby grant an order of interim injunction is hereby made and issued restraining act the defendant/respondent, their agents, proxies claiming for parading to be installing the 1st defendants.”
Recall that the late Sarkin Sudan of Kontagora, Alhaji Saidu Namaska joined his ancestors at the age of 84 after 47 years on the throne.
The emir-selection process has been embroiled in crisis as no fewer than 47 princes from the Kontagora Emirate Council indicated an interest in succeeding the late Saidu Namaska.
The heir apparent to the Kontagora throne, Alhaji Bashar Saidu Namaska, preceded his father in death. Leaving the hotly contested vacancy.
However, Kontagora allegedly emerged as Sarkin Sudan following an election/selection by the kingmakers of the Kontagora kingdom held September 19, 2021.
His emergence as new emir of Kontagora was also approved and announced in a statement issued last week by the Niger state government.
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