JUST-IN: Court Bars Federal Government from Withholding Kano LG Funds

A Kano State High Court has issued a ruling preventing the federal government from interfering with the funds allocated to the 44 local government areas in the state.

Justice Musa Ibrahim Karaye delivered the decision on Monday, following a lawsuit filed by local government representatives seeking to protect their financial autonomy.

The dispute began when 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.

According to LEADERSHIP, the case was led by Hon. Abdullahi Abbas, Hon. Aminu Aliyu Tiga, and the APC, and it was filed against several federal and state entities, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), and the 44 local government councils in Kano.

However, the Kano High Court ruled in favor of the local governments’ right to access their funds, preventing the federal government or any of its agencies from withholding their allocations.

Barrister Bashir Wuzirchi, who represented the 44 local governments, described the ruling as a significant 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 favor, granting all our requests and directing the federal government to refrain from tampering with these constitutionally allocated funds,” Wuzirchi stated.

In response to the judgment, APC spokesperson Ahmad Aruwan assured LEADERSHIP 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,” Aruwan stressed.