High Court Dismisses Suit By Miyetti Allah Seeking To Stop Anti-Open Grazing Law

Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore has lost the legal battle against the Benue state government over an ambition to stop the 2017 open grazing prohibition and establishment law passed by the state House of Assembly.

Naija News learnt that the federal high court sitting in Abuja  dismissed the suit filed by the Miyetti Allah because the plaintiff failed to comply with an earlier order of the court directing them to amend the originating summons.

The court awarded a cost of N100,000 against the plaintiff to be paid to all the 14 defendants before any other step can be taken in the suit.

The Miyetti Allah kautal Hore had approached the court with a prayer seeking a mandatory injunction of the court restraining the Benue State Government from implementing the laws as passed by the State house of Assembly. Justice Bamidele Quadri had in December 2017 ordered the plaintiff to amend their originating summons as there was no valid one before the court.

He had given the plaintiff 5 days to comply but the plaintiff brought the summons before the court on 31st May 2019.

Justice Okon Abang held that the plaintiff were nonchalant, developed a carefree attitude and did nothing for upward of 19 months.

He stressed that the plaintiff treated the court order with disdain and levity.

Justice Abang held that the purported originating summons filed in May 2019, was a nullity.