Makarfi sues 22 people for ‘trespassing’ on his land

Ahmed Makarfi, caretaker chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday took one Isa Abdullahi and 21 members of Kada-Kada village in Kudan local government area of Kaduna state to an Upper Sharia court in Zaria over alleged trespass.

Ahmad Yunus-Abdullahi, counsel to the plaintiff, filed the case through a direct complaint. He said his client was in court to seek justice.

Yunus-Abdullahi alleged that the defendants trespassed into a farmland located at Kada-Kada village, which he claimed belonged to him.

However, counsel to defendants, Ahmad Haruna-Danmaigauta, said they were deceived that it was the Kaduna state government that purchased the land from them.

According to Haruna-Danmaigauta, more than 50 people are cultivating the land in question annually.

He insisted that the presence of the complainant in court was absolutely necessary.

Haruna-Danmaigauta said that section 162 of the Sharia criminal procedure code of the state averred that a case would not be entertained in the absence of the plaintiff.

“In view of this, there is every need for Sen. Makarfi to be in court because his presence is absolutely necessary,” he said.

Counsel to Makarfi argued that his client would not be able to be in court because of his tight schedules, but that he had a representation.

Mustapha Umar, the presiding judge, adjourned the case till February 5, to rule on the matter.