NewsCourt declines ex-commissioners’ bid to stop Kano gov’t from reclaiming official vehicles

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Kano has rejected separate ex parte applications seeking to restrain the Kano State Government from retrieving official vehicles from former commissioners who recently resigned from the State Executive Council.

The ex-commissioners had asked the court to grant an interim injunction preventing the government from taking back the vehicles pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice.

In their suits, the claimants joined the Attorney General of Kano State, the governor, and the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission as defendants.

Represented by Suraj Sa’ed (SAN) and five other lawyers, the former commissioners argued that their applications were filed pursuant to Order 17 Rule 1 of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2017.

The applicants include former Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Yusuf Ibrahim K/Mata; former Commissioner for Internal Security, AVM Ibrahim Umar (rtd); former Commissioner for Special Duties, Nasir Sule Garo; former Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Adamu Aliyu Kibiya; and former Commissioner for Youth, Mustapha Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.

They contended that the vehicles were allocated to them as part of their conditions of service upon appointment and argued that, by convention and in line with the determination of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, commissioners are entitled to retain such vehicles at the end of their tenure.

According to affidavits filed in support of their applications, the former commissioners resigned in January this year and urged the court to grant the interim reliefs in the interest of justice, maintaining that the balance of convenience favoured them.

In his ruling, Justice Mahmood Abba Namtari declined to grant the interim orders sought and instead directed that the defendants be put on notice.

The cases were adjourned to March 10 for hearing of the substantive applications.

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