Kaduna Mosque Conflict: BoT Members Plan Appeal Following Court Ruling Against CAC

Members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Al Manar Education and Development Foundation, the owners of the Al Manar Juma’at Mosque in Kaduna, have announced their plan to appeal a Federal High Court decision that dismissed their lawsuit contesting their suspension by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

On Thursday, Justice Rilwanu Aikawa of the Federal High Court struck down the application, stating that it was inadequately presented as a human rights issue.

The court concluded that the matters highlighted by the applicants did not align with the parameters of enforceable fundamental rights.

The trustees sought the court's intervention to overturn their suspension by the CAC, asserting that the decision lacked due process and was made without an opportunity for a fair hearing.

Following the judgment, Mas’ud Alabelewe, the legal representative for the applicants, remarked that the suit was submitted based on the premise that the trustees’ right to a fair hearing had been breached. However, he noted that the court interpreted the legal framework differently.

Alabelewe indicated that the trustees have requested a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment to facilitate a comprehensive evaluation before determining their next legal move, which may include an appeal.

A suspended BoT member, Alhaji Aliyu Moddibo, indicated that after reviewing the complete ruling, the trustees are likely to take their case to the Court of Appeal. He described the issue as a dispute concerning the administration and future management of the foundation’s assets.

When contacted for his opinion, Chief Imam Sheikh Tukur Adam Al-Mannar refrained from commenting on the court's decision but refuted allegations of financial misconduct.

Regarding suggestions of a forced takeover, he clarified that the mosque is not owned by the community but is a Da’awah project entrusted to him by the founders many years ago.