The National Association of Jukun Wanu (NAJUWA) has expressed utter dismay over the continuous postponement of its litigation against the Benue State government and others over their constant discrimination and marginalisation.
NAJUWA had sued the office of the Benue State governor, Benue State government, the speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Benue State House of Assembly, the attorney general and commissioner for justice of Benue State and HRM, Orchivirigh Professor Ortese James Ayatse, the Tor Tiv and president, Benue State Council of Chiefs over decades of discriminatory policies against Benue Jukun.
NAJUWA is requesting N1 billion as damages for prolonged acts of discrimination against Benue Jukun.
In a notice by the secretary general of NAJUWA, Mr Nuhu Adagba, the mention of the matter billed for Thursday, October 17, 2024, at High Court 5A was shifted to a new date yet to be communicated.
According to the notice, the date is slated for a Validatory Court session in honour of three lawyers who died recently.
However, NAJUWA explained that it is a deliberate ploy to frustrate the case as it is the second time the court has been shifting the hearing within a very short time.
In the first instance, the case was billed for mention on Wednesday,10 July 2024, before it was shifted to October 17, 2024, on the excuse that Judges were going to Abuja to honour the swearing-in of some Judges into a higher court of jurisdiction.
Apart from shifts of date for mention of the case, NAJUWA said it took months and intervention of its solicitors, Falana and Falana’s Chambers, before the Benue State chief judge could assign the case.
In a complaint letter dated 18 April 2024, the solicitors expressed dismay over a case filed on 2 February 2024 but not assigned.
The solicitors, in a letter by Samuel Ogala Esq for Principal Partner, informed the Chief Judge that the claimants and all Jukun Wanu indigenes are already agitated by the non-assignment of the case, hence the need to act urgently on the letter by exercising its administrative powers by assigning the suit to a court for adjudication.
With the postponement, a national official of NUJAWU who pleaded anonymity said the association would never be weakened by the antics of the Benue State government in a matter that concerns the very soul of the people.
NAJUWA had said the Benue State government had enacted some policies inimical to its very existence in an environment it rightly owns.
It declared that by virtue of the provision of section 25 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the people of Jukun Wanu are indigenes of Guma local government, Makurdi local government and Logo local government areas of Benue State and citizens of Nigeria and as such are entitled to equal protection under any law made in Nigeria including Benue State Council of Chiefs and Traditional Council Law 2016, that by virtue of the provision of section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the people of Jukun Wanu whom are indigenes of Guma local government, Makurdi local government and Logo local government areas of Benue State are entitled to freedom from discrimination on the basis of the circumstances of their birth and that by virtue of section 25 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the respondents are not competent to make any law or adopt any policy which discriminates against the people of Jukun Wanu whom are indigenes of Benue State in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.
The Claimant declared that the exclusion of Jukun Wanu, who are indigenes of Guma local government, Makurdi local government and Logo local government of Benue State from Schedule 5 and 6 of Section 18(1) of the Benue State Council of Chiefs and Traditional Council Law 2016 is illegal and unconstitutional.
NAJUWA averred that its members are Jukun Wanu (Riverine Jukun), who are indigenes of Benue State and whose ancestral origin can be traced to many communities in the state.
According to it, these communities include but are not limited to Abinsi, Agyogo (Makurdi), Akatungu (North Bank), Agyetashi, Azhoko (Ankwa), Abweni, Anmor (Fiidi), Ando Sede (Bajimba), Anuwha, Atenge and Anyishi.
Others are Asugu, Gidin Mangoro, Akatsu, Agbodo, Zhamindo, Ashuku, Kitsani, Aguye and Asokpoga.
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