Kaduna court reinstates dethroned monarch

Chief Jonathan Pharaguwa Zamuna, the paramount monarch of Piriga Chiefdom, Lere Local Government, was dethroned, but his dethronement was invalidated by the National Industrial Court, sitting in Kaduna on Monday. 

After establishing that the Industrial Court possesses the authority to consider the case, Justice Bashir Attahiru Alkali delivered his ruling. 

He ruled that the removal of the Piriga third-class monarch by the government of the former Governor el-Rufai was not done in accordance with due process and that the act was unconstitutional, illegal, unfair, null and void, and had no bearing.

In addition to ordering the Kaduna State government to pay Chief Zamuna N10 million in damages for the violation of his fundamental rights, the court also ordered Chief Zamuna to be reinstated back onto the throne, with all salaries paid and privileges restored. Chief Zamuna was also given a 30-day deadline to comply with the ruling. 

In response to the ruling, Henrietta Iorkumbul Esquire, who was Napoleon O. Idenala Esquire's primary attorney, said that a fair trial was essential to the rule of law and justice. James Kanyip Esquire, the principal attorney for the defendant and the Kaduna State government, opted not to comment on the ruling.

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