Kano State High Court Dismisses Baseless Allegations of Unlawful Property Auction

kanoThe Kano State High Court has dismissed allegations made by Surajo Isa Yarima, who accused the court of unlawfully auctioning his property and leaving his family homeless. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the court’s Head of Public Relations, Baba Jibo Ibrahim, described Yarima’s claims as baseless and intended to tarnish the court’s reputation.

The controversy began when a Magistrate Court, in December 2023, ordered Yarima to pay N355,000 to a plaintiff. After Yarima failed to comply, the judgment creditor moved to recover the debt by attaching his movable properties. When those were insufficient, the creditor requested the attachment and auction of Yarima’s immovable property, which the High Court approved after following due legal process.

“All actions taken by the court in this matter were in accordance with the law and principles of justice,” Ibrahim explained.

The court emphasized that Yarima had been properly served hearing notices and given ample opportunity to challenge the application but failed to do so. The statement also rejected Yarima’s claims that his property was hastily sold and left his family homeless.

“Investigations showed that the property was rented to a tenant at the time of the sale, and Yarima’s family was never evicted. The only item found in the house after the auction was a single mattress,” Ibrahim clarified.

The court also addressed a petition filed by Yarima’s wife, who claimed ownership of the property. Her case was dismissed after evidence revealed that the sale agreements she presented did not correspond to the auctioned property.

An internal investigation led by the Chief Judge of Kano State, Justice Dije Aboki, found that Yarima and his family actually lived in a neighboring house, which he had sold and later used the proceeds to renovate the auctioned property in an attempt to mislead the public.

“The allegations were unequivocally disproven. Yarima’s actions were an effort to deceive the public,” the statement asserted.

The court warned that making false accusations against public institutions is punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code and stated its readiness to take legal action if necessary.

“It is disheartening that the judiciary, in the lawful execution of its duties, is subjected to baseless attacks. Such claims undermine public trust and disrupt the integrity of institutions tasked with upholding justice,” Ibrahim added.

The court urged media organizations to verify information before publication to avoid spreading misinformation that harms public institutions’ reputations.

“Inaccurate reporting damages reputations and disrupts the sanctity of institutions like the High Court, which play a vital role in administering justice. The Kano State Judiciary remains open for clarifications to ensure accurate and truthful dissemination of information,” the statement concluded.

The High Court reaffirmed its commitment to justice and transparency in all its operations.