Gombe community sues Gov Yahaya, Pindiga emir over mosque project

Some residents of Tumu town under the auspices of Tumu Concerned Residents have filed a suit before the state high court against Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State and the Emir of Pindiga, Alhaji Muhammad Seyoji Ahmad, for allegedly stopping a reconstruction project of the Tumu Central Mosque. The trio of Mohammed Yero, Bello […]

Some residents of Tumu town under the auspices of Tumu Concerned Residents have filed a suit before the state high court against Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State and the Emir of Pindiga, Alhaji Muhammad Seyoji Ahmad, for allegedly stopping a reconstruction project of the Tumu Central Mosque.

The trio of Mohammed Yero, Bello Ali Tumu and Danjuma Mukhtari, who filed the suit on behalf of the group, joined as defendants in the suit, the Pindiga Emirate Council, Akko Local Government Council, the state’s Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General of the state, as well as the Commissioner of Local Government Affairs.

In the copy of the lawsuit obtained by Daily Trust, the group accused Emir Seyoji, Governor Yahaya and the four other defendants of allegedly stopping Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, representing Gombe Central Senatorial District, from reconstructing the ‘dilapidated’ Tumu central mosque.

The group on behalf of the Tumu community requested the court to declare that they are entitled to receive such donations from well-meaning individuals and declare the alleged stoppage of the mosque project as null and void.

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The group through their counsels, Muhammad Auwal Yau and four others also requested the court to restrain the defendants, and anyone deriving authority through them, from interfering with the proposed mosque project and any action that will deprive the community of any development initiatives.

Our correspondent reports that last January, Adamu Mohammed Manga, an aide to Senator Goje, was in a video clip circulated on social media, accusing the Emir of Pindiga of stopping the reconstruction of the Pindiga Central Mosque and that of Tumu town.

According to him, Emir Seyoji stopped the projects, over alleged fear of dethronement by Governor Yahaya, “if he allows the two mosques to be reconstructed by Senator Danjuma Goje.”

When contacted, Ismaila Uba Misilli, spokesman to Governor Yahaya distanced his principal from the purported issue of the mosque project, saying it is local politics of the community.

 He said, “Governor Yahaya is a leader who is always looking for developmental projects that will benefit his people. How can he then stop any development project that will be beneficial to his people?”

 Our correspondent reports that last January, the Pindiga emirate council had after an emergency meeting rejected the planned reconstruction of the two mosques in Tumu and Pindiga by Senator Goje.

 Secretary of the council, Mohammed Audi, in a statement said both mosques in Pindiga and Tumu communities are in good condition.

 According to him, the emirate believes that the funds would be better spent on other important projects that will benefit the community.