Court Stops Police, EFCC From Arresting Kaduna Farmer

A Kano State High Court sitting in Miller Road, Kano, has restrained the Nigerian Police Force and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from detaining or arresting a Kafanchan-based farmer, Ali Haruna Abbah, over a dispute with his Indian business partner, Sajith Madhu.

The court, presided over by Justice Fatima Adamu, also granted Mr Abbah’s relief to join the Nigerian Police Force, the inspector general of police, and the commissioner of the Police Force Investigation Department (FID) as the fourth to sixth respondents in the suit.

The judge granted the relief on June 5, following an ex parte motion filed by the applicant through his legal counsel, Tijjani Abdulkareem Abdullahi.

The judge also ordered parties in the suit with number K/M1156/2025 to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.

The ex parte application, dated May 30, was supported by a five-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Abdullahi Garba, a litigation secretary in the law firm of Ibrahim Cheid & Co., along with a written address in support.

“That leave is granted to the applicant seeking to join the Nigeria Police Force, the inspector general of police and the commissioner of police Force Intelligence Department (FID) as respondents in this suit.
“An order is granted to the applicant to join the Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police and Commissioner of Police Force Intelligence Department (FID) as 4th, 5th & 6th respondents in this suit.
“An order is granted to the applicant directing all the parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.

The case has been adjourned to July 9, 2025, for hearing.

On December 30, the court restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting and prosecuting Mr Abbah.

In the ruling delivered by the vacation court and presided over by Jamilu Suleiman, it restrained the anti-graft agency from “either by themselves, their agents, servants, or privies, however described, from any act(s) of arresting and/or detaining the applicant pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application, i.e., Motion on Notice.”

“That an order of interim injunction is granted to the applicant restraining the respondents, either by themselves, their agents, servants, or privies howsoever described, from any act(s) of interference with the applicant’s business transaction with the 1st respondent in respect of ginger products pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.

The suit stemmed from a business transaction dispute between Mr Abbah, Mr Madhu, and his company, Nostro Trading Company.

Mr Abbah had accused his estranged business partner of using security forces to threaten, harass, intimidate and blackmail him.

According to him, in 2023, Mr Madhu contacted him to supply ginger, pigeon peas and soybeans worth over to his company, Nostro Trading Nigeria Limited, Lagos.

He said the consignment includes 27 trucks of ginger, 40,727 metric tonnes of pigeon peas, and 151,640 metric tonnes of soybeans sourced from different parts of the country.

However, he explained that after delivering the goods to the company’s warehouses in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Kano, Mr Madhu returned, alleging breach of contracts.