Court Suspends 2 Trustees Of Arewa Support Initiative

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has suspended Khurairah Musa and Celina Gar as trustees of the Arewa Development Support Initiative (ADSI).

The court also nullified all actions taken by them between 1st March and 30th April, 2024 while in office.
The judgment delivered by the court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1572/2024, followed a prolonged dispute over the removal of registered trustees and the organisation’s governance.

According to a statement by Safaa Musa Usman Adam, a member of the Registered Trustee of ADSI, Khurairah Musa, unilaterally orchestrated the removal of active members of the Registered Trustees of ADSI, including the Secretary General.

The statement said they unlawfully came up with CAC documents without the consent or knowledge of the secretary- general and other members of the Registered Trustees.

Based on the document, they were removed as members of the Registered Trustees of ADSI.
The statement further said suspended members went ahead to unlawfully alter the Constitution of the Association.

“These unprovoked and misguided conduct sparked disharmony within the ranks of the Association and ultimately led to the institution of the action which led to the Federal High Court judgement.

“There was nothing done by Khurairah Musa and others that was in line with the constitutional provision of ADSI, no wonder the Judge nullified all her actions within the stated period.

“In considering Articles 4 and 6 of the Constitution of ADSI alongside sections 825, 827 and 834 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020, the Court held that the prescribed procedure for appointing or replacing trustees must be followed.

“Judgment was consequently entered in favour of the plaintiff, with the Court declaring that registered trustees could not be unilaterally removed in breach of the Constitution”, the statement said.

The statement also recalled an earlier mediation effort by respected Arewa elders whose resolution, it said, Musa rejected.