Justice Mohammed Mohammed of High Court 4, sitting in Minna, Niger State, has granted an interim order restraining 10 Chanchaga local government councillors from impeaching the suspended chairman, Aminu Yakubu Ladan.
Justice Mohammed issued the order after hearing a motion ex-parte under Order 38 Rules 4 and 8 of the Niger State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2018 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
The councillors were barred from taking further action on the embattled council chairman’s suspension and from initiating impeachment moves pending the hearing of a motion for interlocutory injunction.
This followed a request from the applicant’s counsel, Anthony Orifunmishe, seeking some reliefs.
Some of the reliefs include an order of interim injunction restraining the 10 defendants, particularly Yahuza Sa’idu and Mohammed Mohammed, from acting on or taking further action on the notice of suspension issued to the plaintiff and served on July 28, 2025, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
The second order is an interim injunction restraining the councillors and the Attorney General of the State, as defendants, from initiating and/or commencing processes for the removal or impeachment of the plaintiff from the office of Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government, and from removing the plaintiff from office by any means pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
Recall that the councillors suspended the embattled chairman over serious allegations of misconduct and mismanagement of council funds.
This was contained in a letter dated July 28, 2025, signed by eight of the ten council members, citing lack of accountability and incompetence, and strongly supporting the suspension of the LG chairman.
They accused him of illegal allocation of plots within the market, refusal of directors to attend Legislative Council meetings, failure to produce financial statements and unauthorised awarding of contracts, among other concerns.
The Legislative Council explained that the decision was made to ensure proper governance and accountability within the council in accordance with the Niger State Local Government Law, specifically sections 24 and 38 of Cap 77.
