By Our Court Correspondent

The Federal High Court No. 1 sitting in Gombe has ordered the Gombe Geographic Information Systems (GOGIS) and its Director-General, Kabiru Usman Hassan, to pay ₦200,000 as costs to the applicant, Nafi’u Abubakar, in a landmark Freedom of Information (FOI) case.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed, who granted Reliefs 1, 2, 3 and 4 sought by the applicant, while declining Reliefs 5 and 6, except to the extent of awarding ₦200,000 as costs in favour of the applicant.

The suit, commenced by an Originating Summons filed on 8 January 2026, was brought pursuant to the provisions of Sections 1, 2, 4, 7 and 20 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, as well as under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

The applicant asked the court to determine whether, under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, he was entitled to access public records requested in a letter dated 9 November 2025 concerning the award of a contract for the redesign of the Shehu Abubakar District Layout in Gombe State.

The requested documents included the list of companies that expressed interest in the project, copies of advertisements and calls for expressions of interest, bids and proposals submitted by contractors, the name of the successful contractor or contractors, the contract value, evidence of payments made, the letter of award and acceptance, the project profile, and other related documents.

The applicant also sought a declaration that the respondents’ failure to provide the requested information within seven days of receiving the request constituted a violation of Sections 4 and 7 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

In his reliefs, the applicant prayed the court to declare that he was entitled to the requested information and that the refusal of the respondents to disclose the documents was unlawful.

He further sought a mandatory order compelling GOGIS and its Director-General to immediately release all documents requested in his Freedom of Information application dated 9 November 2025, including records relating to the procurement process, contract award, project implementation, and any other documents connected with the redesign of the Shehu Abubakar District Layout.

The applicant also requested an order directing the respondents to provide written reasons for any aspect of the request they intended to deny.

In addition, he sought ₦100 million as general damages for the alleged unlawful refusal to grant access to the requested public records and ₦5 million as the cost of the action.

In its judgment, however, the court declined the claims for general damages and litigation costs but awarded ₦200,000 as costs against the respondents.

The applicant, Nafi’u Abubakar, was represented by Barrister M. U. Faruk, while the respondents, GOGIS and its Director-General, Kabiru Usman Hassan, were represented by Barrister Musa Adamu Kumo.

By Our Political Reporter

The Federal High Court No. 2 sitting in Gombe has reserved judgment in a suit challenging the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The suit was instituted by an APC aspirant, Mr. John Alfred, who is challenging the victory of Hon. Ali Isa J.C. as the party’s candidate for the House of Representatives seat.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Ahmed Musa, told the court that no valid APC primary election was conducted in the Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency on May 18, 2026, as required by law. He alleged that no election took place in any of the 20 wards across Balanga and Billiri Local Government Areas, yet the APC declared Hon. Ali Isa J.C. as the winner of the primary election.

The plaintiff urged the court to nullify the declaration of Hon. Ali Isa J.C. as the APC candidate and order the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh primary election, arguing that the process was marred by substantial irregularities.

In his defence, counsel to the first defendant, Hon. Ali Isa J.C., J.J. Adamu, SAN, filed a motion on notice alongside a preliminary objection, urging the court to dismiss the suit. He maintained that the APC primary election was validly conducted across the Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency.

The senior lawyer further informed the court that Hon. Ali Isa J.C. resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on April 14, 2026, relinquished his position as the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, and subsequently obtained valid membership of the APC before participating in the party’s primary election.

He relied on Order 4 Rule 6 of the Federal High Court Practice Directions, arguing that the plaintiff’s suit lacked merit and should be struck out.

Also, counsel to the APC, Barrister Muzzammil Yahaya, raised a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the suit and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter. He urged the court to dismiss the case for being incompetent.

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barrister Bashi M. Abubakar, told the court that the commission monitored the APC primary elections across Gombe State and confirmed that it has the official list of candidates who emerged from the exercise.

After listening to the submissions of all parties, the presiding judge, Justice Verah Eneibor Ibrahim, reserved judgment and said a date for the delivery of the judgment would be communicated to all parties through their respective counsel.

By Editor Daily Fact

The Gombe State High Court, presided over by the Chief Judge, Justice Halima Sadiya Mohammed, has convicted four individuals for unlawful trespass on a parcel of land belonging to Alhaji Hammadu Masu, after years of legal battle over ownership.

Delivering judgment in the case, Justice Mohammed ordered the defendants to jointly pay the sum of ₦1 million as exemplary damages and an additional ₦500,000 as legal costs to the plaintiff. The court further directed them, their agents, and assigns to desist immediately from any further trespassing on the disputed property.

The case, which has lingered for nearly a decade, traces back to a ruling by Justice Sa’ad Mohammed of High Court No. 2 in Gombe, who had earlier declared Alhaji Hammadu Masu as the rightful owner of the land about nine years ago. Despite that judgment, the defendants reportedly continued encroaching on the property, prompting the latest legal action.

In her ruling, Justice Halima Sadiya Mohammed emphasized that the plaintiff had proven his case beyond reasonable doubt, and that the defendants’ continued trespass amounted to a blatant disregard for the rule of law and previous court decisions.

The convicted individuals include Ibrahim Bello, Babawuro Buba Biri (also known as Mohammed B. Loddo), Sulaiman S. Ahmed, and the Surveyor General of the Ministry of Lands and Survey, Gombe State.

The court’s decision has been hailed by legal observers as a clear signal that land rights and court judgments must be respected, especially by public officials and individuals entrusted with enforcing land administration laws.

Residents of the area where the disputed property is located have expressed relief over the judgment, describing it as a “victory for justice and lawful ownership.”