From our Correspondent
A High Court sitting in Numan, the headquarters of Numan Local Government of Adamawa State has set aside the installation of one Lawrence Tamburmo Layaling as the Village Head of Gwassala in Demsa Local Government of Adamawa State by Hama Batta, Homun Alhamdu Gladstone Teneke in a case preferred against the traditional ruler by one Wisdom Kyari, a community leader from Gwassala town.
The Court has also restrained him from parading himself as the village Head of Gwassala.
The Presiding Judge, Justice K.A. Umar while granting the application of the counsel to Gwassala community further restrained both the Hama Batta, Homun Alhamdu Gladstone Teneke and the District Head of Dwam, Chief Jeremiah Ngyakwar from taking further action pending the determination of the case before the court.
Earlier, the counsel to the Plaintiff, Barrister David Gibson who stood in for Barrister Livinus Ayuba in an application asked the court to set aside the installation of Mr Lawrence Tamburmo as the village Head of Gwassala and restrict Hama Batta, Homun Alhamdu Gladstone and the District Head of Dwam, Chief Jeremiah Ngyakwar from taking further action as well as restraining Lawrence Tambormo Layaling from parading himself as the village Head of Gwassala.
The counsel also argued that all the three Defendants in the case had earlier humiliated the Court Bailiff and rejected court service on them on three separate occasions to carryout their intentions by installing the fourth Defendant, Mr Lawrence Tamburmo as the village Head in violation of an earlier position of law.
Justice Umar therefore adjourned the case to October 8, 2026 for further hearing.
In an earlier statement of claim, the Plaintiff had averred that the first Defendant, Hama Batta had imposed the village head on the community even though his appointment has not gained acceptance and popularity among the people because he is not a member of Gwassala community.
The Plaintiff further averred that even though the Gwassala community had rejected the appointment of the Mr Lawrence Tamburmo on the account of certain irregularities through a communique served on the Hama Batta, the paramount ruler never gave a listening ear to the aggrieved community and that the appointment of an individual outside Gwassala community undermined the competency and eligibility of Gwassala community to the traditional office. The highlight of the communique include, the twenty-eight days ultimatum given to the traditional ruler to reverse the controversial appointment or face certain consequences.
The Plaintiff in his statement also claimed that the embattled village head before his official turbaning had masterminded and incited civil unrest which left three of the inhabitants of Gwassala seriously wounded, a development the community blamed on the Hama Batta who stepped in to shield the suspected criminals from the long arms of the law.
The statement further averred that the embattled village head who is from Layaling diverted and converted the relief materials meant for Gwassala community during the last flood disaster to his personal use without any explanation.
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