A Kano State High Court has ordered the federal government not to interfere with Kano LG funds belonging to the 44 local government areas of the state.
The decision was delivered on Monday, by Justice Musa Karaye, following a legal challenge initiated by local government representatives.
The case stemmed from a move by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, to halt the disbursement of funds to the local governments, citing alleged irregularities in the October 2024 local government elections conducted by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission.
The APC had sought a court order to freeze the local government funds, pending further review.
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Earlier, the court had issued an interim order directing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), the office of the accountant general of the federation, and commercial banks to refrain from interfering with the local government funds, until a final ruling is made.
Speaking after the verdict, Bashir Tudun Wuzirchi, who represented the 44 local governments, described the ruling as a victory for Kano State.
“We filed this case to protect the interests of Kano State and prevent forces attempting to obstruct development at the local government level.
“By God’s grace, the court has granted all our requests and directed the federal government not to tamper with these funds, which constitutionally belong to the local governments,” Wuzirchi said.
Attempts to get a response from the legal representatives of the opposition APC were unsuccessful. It remains unclear whether the party will appeal the decision.
