Court Vacates Order Stopping Ganduje From Borrowing N10bn

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has vacated an interim injunction restraining Kano State government from borrowing N10 billion loan to execute Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) project.

The suit was filed by coalition of NGOs, Kano First Forum (KFF). Director general of the association, Dr Yusuf Isyaka Rabiu, sought for an order restraining Kano State government from borrowing N10 billion loan.

The respondents in the suit are governor of Kano State, attorney general of Kano State, commissioner for finance Kano and speaker Kano State House of Assembly. Others are Federal Ministry of Finance, Debt Management Office and Fiscal Responsibility Commission.

Justice Liman had on July 1, 2022, restrained the Kano State Government from borrowing N10 billion for the installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and parties to maintain status quo.

In his ruling yesterday, Justice Liman vacated the interim order made on July 1. The trial judge vacated the order relying on the evidence shown by the applicant, and attributed misrepresentation and concealment of fact materials as the ground for vacating the interim order. He however said parties in the suit can proceed to the argument of substantive suit.

He then transferred the case to a vacation judge at Federal Capital Territory, as the Federal High Court will commence their annual vacation on July 22.
Earlier in his argument, counsel to respondents, Musa Dahuru, Director Civil Litigation Kano State Ministry of Justice said government needed to borrow the loan due to the rising security challenges ranging from banditry and kidnapping in the country. The government needed to curtail the rising insecurity through the installation of Close-Circuit Television.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Badamasi Suleiman, earlier in his written addresses opposed the application filed by the respondent seeking to discharge the interim order it earlier granted restraining the state government from borrowing N10 billion.
He argued that the grounds for his argument was to protect main suit from being spoiled.