NGO Sues Gombe District Head, Others for Depriving Women Inheritable Farms

Segun Awofadeji in Gombe

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Global Pan Africanism Network(GPAN), has filed a suit against the district head of Kalmai in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State, Mr. H. H Zubairu Ahmadu, and three other persons before a Gombe State High Court for allegedly depriving some women farms they inherited from their late fathers.

The traditional leader was accused of conspiring with the three other persons, namely Mr. Julius Lamido, Mr. Jude Maigari and Mr. Dolton Amin Toddo, to deny the women the farms on the basis of their gender.

Counsel to the North-east regional office of GPAN, Mr. Ibrahim Ambore Nuhu, who appeared for the plaintiffs yesterday told journalists in an interview that their suit sought the order of the court confirming that the plaintiffs are the owners of farmland located at Ladongor, Lakwantangalan and Lakaikai and house erected on the land at Kalmai, Billiri, Gombe State.

They also demanded that the court should set aside the sale of any portion of the plaintiffs’ inherited farmland at Ladongor, Kalmai Billiri Gombe State sold by the fourth defendant to the first, second and third defendants without the consent of the plaintiffs.

He said: “By virtue of the validity test of customary law and Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution, the plaintiffs are entitled to inherit their late father’s (Amin Toddo) properties.

“We need an order of this honourable court that the farmland located and situated at Ladongor, Lakwantangalan, Lakaikai and the house erected on the land and any other properties left by their late father Amin Toddo at Kalmai, Billiri, Gombe State to be distributed from their mother side (Kebba) to the heirs of late Amin Toddo i.e. the plaintiffs and the 4th defendant;

“An order of this honourable court restraining the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants, their servants or privies from further interfering or trespassing on the farmland located at Ladongor, Kalmai Billiri in Gombe State.”

However, the counsel to the defendants, Mr. Ishaku David, told the court that his clients need some time to react to the summon notice served on them and applied to the judge for some days to respond.

The presiding judge, Justice Daurabo Suleiman Sikkam, granted the application of the defense counsel and adjourned sitting to April 27, 2023.