By Muhammad Tanko Shittu
Jos
Traders and shop owners at the Jos terminus, Abuja, Railway and Yan Haya Markets have sued the Plateau state government and its agency, Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB), over its plans to demolish their shops.
The traders in a suit filed by Alhaji Sabo Adamu and 11 others against the JMDB, and two others, pending before Justice P.L. Lot of the state High Court 4 are seeking the court through a writ of summons, to declare that the planed demolition was a breach of contract of lease entered between them and JMDB.
The writ further sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining 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 N500 million for the loss of revenue and means of lively hood occasioned by the loss of use of the Markets, orchestrated by the defendants orders.”
Blueprint gathered yesterday from the plaintiffs’ counsel, Barrister Auta Maisamari, at the premises of the court, that they had also filed a motion on notice seeking an order to stop the defendants from evicting the plaintiffs.
Maisamari said his clients were not served any written adequate notice and their lease agreement had not expired.
He further said they had sought from the court an order to stop the defendants from demolishing the shops and also ordered that the shops be open for business.
Our correspondent report that the judge had directed the plaintiffs’ counsel to effect services on the defendants.
She fixed September 1, for ruling on the motion filed.
Secretary of the JMDB, Mr. Amos Dushu, had said that he was not aware of the motion exparte, but added that “perhaps it is because it was an exparte seeking order that is why we are not serving earlier.”
General Manager of the JMDB, Major-General Musa Gambo (rtd), last weekend, gave the traders up till yesterday to pack out their property to enable the state government to demolish the shops.
As at yesterday evening, our correspondent who visited the market sites observed that security personnel were on guard.
