JUST-IN: Court Bars Federal Gov’t From Withholding Kano LG Funds

A Kano State High Court has prevented the federal government from interfering with the funds due to the 44 local government areas in the state.

The ruling was delivered on Monday by Justice Musa Ibrahim Karaye following a suit by local government representatives seeking to protect their financial autonomy.

The legal dispute arose after the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) sought a court order to halt the disbursement of local government funds, citing alleged irregularities in the local government elections conducted by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission in October 2024.

LEADERSHIP reports that the case, spearheaded by Hon. Abdullahi Abbas, Hon. Aminu Aliyu Tiga, and the APC, was filed against multiple federal and state government institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), and all 44 local government councils in Kano.

However, the Kano High Court’s ruling upheld the rights of the local governments to access their funds, preventing the federal government or any of its agencies from withholding their allocations.

Speaking after the ruling, counsel for the 44 local governments, Barrister Bashir Wuzirchi, described the decision as a victory for Kano State.

“We filed this case to protect Kano State from forces trying to obstruct development by targeting local government funds. Today, by God’s grace, the court ruled in our favour, granting all our requests and directing the federal government to refrain from tampering with these constitutionally allocated funds,” he said.

Reacting to the judgment, APC spokesperson in Kano, Ahmad Aruwan in an interview with LEADERSHIP, assured that the party would appeal the decision.

“It is our duty to ensure that the people’s funds do not fall into the hands of illegitimate leaders. Therefore, we will appeal and continue fighting this case until justice is served,” he emphasised.