Plateau court adjourns hearing on appeal against Hausa indigeneship ruling
Plateau State High Court Adjourns Appeal in Indigene Status Case
JOS, Nigeria — A Plateau State High Court has scheduled further proceedings for October 29, 2026, in an appeal regarding the indigene status of Hausa people born and raised in the Jos North Local Government Area.
Justice C. Donglong set the date on Friday after hearing arguments concerning the appearance of a new legal team representing the respondents in the case.
The appeal stems from a June 9, 2026, ruling which affirmed that individuals of Hausa descent born and raised in Jos North are entitled to be recognized as indigenes of the area.
This ruling originated from a lawsuit filed by Fatima Baba Akawu and her father, Baba Alhaji Akawu, against the Jos North Local Government Council following the council’s refusal to issue an indigene certificate to Fatima.
The plaintiffs sought clarification from the court on whether Fatima, given her birth in Jos North to a father described as a bona fide indigene, was eligible for the certificate despite her ethnic background.
Additionally, they alleged that the council’s refusal to grant the certificate, while providing a residence certificate and an indigene certificate to Dung Bot, of Berom ethnic origin, constituted discrimination in violation of the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The Akawus argued that Baba Alhaji Akawu’s status as a recognized indigene and his previous service as a House of Representatives member in 1983 entitled his children to indigene certificates.
During Friday’s proceedings, Garba Pwul, a senior advocate representing the Jos North Local Government Council, raised objections regarding the new legal team representing the respondents. He noted that the new lawyers had not filed the necessary formal notice as required by Plateau State High Court Rules.
In response, Yakubu H., a senior advocate for the respondents, asserted that all litigants have the constitutional right to choose their legal representation. He emphasized that the judgment delivered favored the respondents, allowing Fatima Akawu and her father to engage separate counsel due to their distinct roles in the suit.
After hearing both sides, Justice Donglong adjourned the case to October 29 to rule on the preliminary objection before addressing the substantive applications aimed at overturning the June 9 judgment.
