₦airaland Forum

A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos has adjourned until October 29, 2026, further proceedings in the appeal challenging the judgment recognising Hausa people born and raised in Jos North Local Government Area as indigenes of the area.

Justice C. Donglong fixed the date on Friday after hearing arguments on a preliminary objection over the appearance of a new legal team representing the respondents in the matter.

The appeal followed the court’s June 9, 2026, judgment, which was granted in favour of Baba Akawu after the Jos North Local Government Area failed to respond to the earlier suit and was consequently not represented by any legal team. In the absence of a defence, the court ruled that a Hausa person born and raised in Jos North Local Government Area was entitled to be recognised as an indigene of the area.

The decision arose from a suit instituted by Fatima Baba Akawu and her father, Baba Alhaji Akawu, against Jos North Local Government Council after the council declined to issue Fatima an indigene certificate.

The claimants had asked the court to determine whether Fatima Akawu, by virtue of her birth in Jos North to a father they described as a bona fide indigene of the area, was entitled to an indigene certificate despite her Hausa ethnic origin.

They also sought a declaration that the council’s refusal to issue her the certificate, while granting her a residence certificate and issuing an indigene certificate to one Dung Bot, of Berom ethnic origin, on the same date, amounted to discrimination in violation of Sections 42, 15 and 17 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Articles 2 and 3 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

In addition, the applicants argued that Baba Alhaji Akawu’s status as a recognised indigene of Jos North and his previous service as a member of the House of Representatives representing the constituency in 1983 entitled his children, including the first claimant, to indigene certificates.

At Friday’s proceedings, counsel to Jos North Local Government Council, Garba Pwul, SAN, challenged the appearance of a new legal team representing the respondents, arguing that the lawyers were not originally on record and had failed to comply with the Plateau State High Court Rules governing a change of counsel.

Pwul contended that Order 52 of the court’s rules requires parties to file a formal notice of change of counsel before new lawyers can take over representation in an ongoing matter.

Responding, counsel to the respondents, Yakubu H., SAN, maintained that every litigant has a constitutional right to engage counsel of their choice.

He argued that the judgment had been delivered in favour of the respondents and that Fatima Akawu and her father were entitled to engage separate legal teams because they are distinct parties in the suit.

Following submissions by both parties, Justice Donglong adjourned the matter until October 29 to rule on the preliminary objection before proceeding with the substantive applications seeking to set aside the June 9 judgment.

The Plateau-Hausa indigeneship judgment is set to have far-reaching implications for the concept of indigeneity in Nigeria, with its outcome potentially reshaping the criteria for indigene status and eligibility across the country.

THMT:
Can plateau indigenous people also get same from any core Northern state?

Just like the Sharia law and the useless lies of it being for Muslims only and won't affect visitors but till now 2026, people are not allowed to walk freely with the opposite sex, eat pork and drink beer peacefully in so many states in Northern Nigeria.

After this they will demand for Sharia law and Sharia police so this must not be accepted until there's a balance in demands, justice and equal rights.

NetbizBoss:
Hausa really need to reclaim their Identify, they should keep Islam aside because it's the same Islam blood tasty Fulanis are using against them.

An average Hausa Man/ woman should see Islam as an instrument of suppression and domination used by the Fulani against them.

They should start by not voting Fulani into position of authority

Emmani360:
if this case gets to the supreme court and they rule in favour of the Hausa community, it automatically means that anyone born anywhere in Nigeria becomes an indigene of wherever he//she was born regardless of the parents state of origin

Emmani360:
if this case gets to the supreme court and they rule in favour of the Hausa community, it automatically means that anyone born anywhere in Nigeria becomes an indigene of wherever he//she was born regardless of the parents state of origin

Emmani360:
if this case gets to the supreme court and they rule in favour of the Hausa community, it automatically means that anyone born anywhere in Nigeria becomes an indigene of wherever he//she was born regardless of the parents state of origin

Cutezt:
https://dailypost.ng/2026/07/11/plateau-court-adjourns-hearing-on-appeal-against-hausa-indigeneship-ruling/

LibertyRep:
The ruling is dangerous and is going to set very dangerous precedent, if not quashed now.

Everyone has a place they are indigenous to, why try to claim another man's territory?

This is a recipe for unending chaos.
It does not matter how long your forefathers have stayed in a place, you still have your root somewhere. I think it's unfair to start dragging indigenous right with the aboriginals who owns the place.

Parachoko:
A Hausa man can't be an indigene of Jos just the way a Berom man can't be an Indigene of Kano

The Court shouldn't give a judgement that will lead to Anarchy

Emmani360:
if this case gets to the supreme court and they rule in favour of the Hausa community, it automatically means that anyone born anywhere in Nigeria becomes an indigene of wherever he//she was born regardless of the parents state of origin

Dalohad:
Would ethnically chauvinistic late Buhari have issued an indigineship certificate to an Igbo Christian born up north in Katsina, if he( Buhari) worked at the local council in Katsina during his lifetime.

I was born outside Igboland within the Nigerian borders, I cannot imagine asking the natives of where I was born to grant me an indigeneship certificate..

This is Nigeria, where the same loudmouths who shout 'One Nigeria' will tell other tribes to 'go back to your states'.

The 'One Nigeria' sounds good to their ears when they are partaking in the sharing of Oil resources accrued from the land of other tribes, but when it comes to enjoying other socio-political factors like voting where you live, they shout 'Go back to your States'.

They know themselves..

Buhari4dullard:
The Igbos will become indigenes of Lagos and teach lagosians how to do stop being Agberos

obiekunie01:
Them no go gree!

Because it automatically gives citizenship to Igbo in many Nigerian states. Them go agree to it.

THIS CASE NA BETTER TRAP FOR THE NIGERIA BIASED LEGAL SYSYTEM.