The State High Court sitting in Kaduna on Wednesday ordered the Kaduna State government and its agencies to steer clear of any house belonging to the senator representing Kaduna North Senatorial district in the National Assembly, Suleiman Hunkuyi.

The court also directed that a Notice of Consequence of Disobedience of Court Order (FORM 48) be served on the Kaduna State government (Office of the Secretary to the State Government), Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) and Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) for contempt of courtp

This followed a reminder notice by KADIRS on 28th May, 2018 seeking the payment of ₦31 million as ground rent on Hunkuyi’s house despite the court order restricting the Kaduna State government and its agents from taking any action on the house pending the determination of the case.

The order also restrained the defendants (Kaduna State government and its agents) from taking any steps or acting on a purported bill issued against the plaintiff’s property located at 18A, Inuwa Wada Road, Ungwuan Rimi, Kaduna, pending the determination of hearing and determination of motion on notice.

Despite the said court order, the Governor Nasir el-Rufai-led state government through KADIRS had gone ahead to issue another notice in respect of the building apparently with the intent of demolishing the house.

Consequently, counsel to Senator Hunkuyi, Prof Dankofa Yusuf filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division over the ruling of the State High Court on June 5, in respect of the ₦10 billion being requested by Hunkuyi as compensation and damages over his house at No. 11B Sambo Road, Kaduna.

The lawyer said the ruling of Justice Mohammed Lawal on June 5, 2018 that the appellant’s requests and prayers are an abuse of court process is perverse and wrongful.

He maintained that the lower court misdirected itself by not understating the fact that an enforcement of right covers issues relating to landed property especially where a party (the Respondents) adopts arbitrary actions which attracts sanctions.