Shop owners at the Jos market, Plateau state have sued the state government and its agency, over its plan to demolish their shops in a suit worth N500m in compensation for goods destroyed during the bomb blast. The suit, which was filed by Alhaji Sabo Adamu and 11 others against the JMDB and the governor, is pending before Justice Philomena Lot of the state high court 4. The traders are asking the court through a writ of summons, to declare that the planned demolition was a breach of contract of lease entered between them and Jos Metropolitan Development Board, according to report from The Punch. In the suit no.PLD/J384m2/14, the plaintiff averred that the planned move to evict them was based on reason that they are Hausas, Igbos and Yorubas which is “amounting to breaching the 2nd defendant’s (State Governor Jonah Jang) oath of office pursuant to section 180 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.” The writ further sought for an order of perpetual order mandating the defendants to open the Jos main market, Railway Market, Yan Haya Market and the Abuja Market, “forthwith and unconditionally.” “Award of general damages against the defendants severally and individually in favour of the plaintiffs in the sum of N500m for the loss of revenue and means of lively hood occasioned by the loss of use of the Markets, orchestrated by the defendants orders,” the plaintiffs affirmed. Counsel to plaintiffs Mr. Auta Maisamari, said that they have also filed a motion on notice seeking for an order of the Court to stop the defendants from evicting the plaintiffs, adding that his clients were not served any written adequate notice and their lease agreement have not expired. The General Manager of the JMDB, Major General Musa Gambo rtd, had last weekend given the traders up till Wednesday, to pack out their properties to allow for the demolition of the properties and pave way for proper demarcation. The presiding judge has fixed September 1 for ruling on the motion.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 12:36:32 +0000