Court slams N.5m damages on Kano Hisbah board

The lingering legal battle between the Hotel Owners Association
and the Kano State Hisbah Board has come to an end with the court
slamming a N500,000 damages on the latter.

Justice R. A Sadiq of the Kano State High Court restrained Hibah
guards from carrying out any further attack, arrest, or prosecution
of the hoteliers in the state.

The trial judge in the case filed in March, 2014, upheld the
submission of the applicants that Hisbah officials overstepped
their bounds, in their enforcement of the law.

Counsel for the plaintiffs, Magaji Ibrahim, had sought for a
declaration that the attacks, arrests and prosecution by the Hisbah
guards of the hotel owners were illegal and unconstitutional.

He had argued that the mandate of the Hisbah board did not
empower them to harass, attack, raid, arrest and prosecute the
hoteliers, “who are lawfully doing their legitimate business, as
recognised by the law of the land and state.”

The Hoteliers Owners Association had also claimed that they had
lost millions of naira to the illegal action of the Hisbah board,
which had carried raids on their business premises.

Also, in a related development, a Kano State High Court,
presided over by Justice A. T. Badamasi, has granted a perpetual
injunction, against the Nigeria Hotel Association Incorporated
Trustees from parading themselves as leaders of the Hotel Owners
Association in the state.

The HOA had instituted an action against the Nigeria Hotel
Association, claiming to be the only lawful body of hotel owners in
the state.

In his ruling, Justice Badamasi, said NHA should stop parading
themselves as the authentic organ of the association.

The lingering legal battle between the Hotel Owners Association
and the Kano State Hisbah Board has come to an end with the court
slamming a N500,000 damages on the latter.

Justice R. A Sadiq of the Kano State High Court restrained Hibah
guards from carrying out any further attack, arrest, or prosecution
of the hoteliers in the state.

The trial judge in the case filed in March, 2014, upheld the
submission of the applicants that Hisbah officials overstepped
their bounds, in their enforcement of the law.

Counsel for the plaintiffs, Magaji Ibrahim, had sought for a
declaration that the attacks, arrests and prosecution by the Hisbah
guards of the hotel owners were illegal and unconstitutional.

He had argued that the mandate of the Hisbah board did not
empower them to harass, attack, raid, arrest and prosecute the
hoteliers, “who are lawfully doing their legitimate business, as
recognised by the law of the land and state.”

The Hoteliers Owners Association had also claimed that they had
lost millions of naira to the illegal action of the Hisbah board,
which had carried raids on their business premises.

Also, in a related development, a Kano State High Court,
presided over by Justice A. T. Badamasi, has granted a perpetual
injunction, against the Nigeria Hotel Association Incorporated
Trustees from parading themselves as leaders of the Hotel Owners
Association in the state.

The HOA had instituted an action against the Nigeria Hotel
Association, claiming to be the only lawful body of hotel owners in
the state.

In his ruling, Justice Badamasi, said NHA should stop parading
themselves as the authentic organ of the association.