No Single FHC Judgment can Erase Long-established Legal History, Gazetted white papers, Supreme Court judgments affirming the real owners of Jos North, says PIDAN

Our Correspondent

Following the recent judgement delivered by Hon. Justice C. Donglong of the Federal High Court, Jos on June 9, 2026 on the issue of indigeneity of Jos North Local Government Area, the Plateau Initiative for the Development and Advancement of the Natives, PIDAN, has declared that no single Federal High Court judgment can erase the long-established legal history, gazetted white papers, and Supreme Court judgement affirming the real and indigenous owners of Jos North.

PIDAN added that the distinction between citizenship and indigeneship is not restricted to Plateau alone, but applies throughout the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

In a statement signed by its President, Amb. Danjuma Nanpon Sheni, and Secretary General, Comrade Danjuma Dickson Auta, said: “There are several indigenes of Plateau State who were born and lived in other states for decades but have never been accepted or recognised as indigenes of those states, in spite of their long-established status in those states.

“The distinction between citizenship (which grants constitutional rights to all Nigerians anywhere) and indigeneship (which relates to ancestral ownership and customary rights) is recognised and practised throughout the country.”

PIDAN reiterated that the question of indigenous ownership of Jos North has long been settled by the numerous Judicial Commissions established following the various unfortunate crises in the state.

“Each commission consistently concluded that only the Afizere, Anaguta, and Berom are the indigenous tribes of Jos and Jos North. Other migrant groups were acknowledged as long-settled citizens, but not as indigenes with ancestral ownership claims to the land. The Niki Tobi Commission notably advised the Hausa-Fulani community to “accept the ownership of Jos by the Afizere, Anaguta, and Berom tribes” as a path to lasting peace.

Making reference to the Appeal and Supreme Court affirmations on the issue, PIDAN said, “T: the acceptability of the Fiberesima Commission was challenged in the Plateau State High Court in Suit No. PLD/J382/91, decided on April 6, 1996, the challenge was dismissed.

“The Court of Appeal, Jos Division, on November 22, 2000, in CA/J/76/99, affirmed the High Court’s judgment. The matter proceeded to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which, on April 24, 2009, in a lead judgment by Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, JSC (with a panel including Justice Mahmud Mohammed, JSC), affirmed the lower courts’ rulings.”

While acknowledging that other ethnic nationalities, such as the Yorubas, Igbos, South-South, Hausa-Fulani and others, remain valued citizens of Plateau State, they are not indigenous to Jos North.

PIDAN maintained that there are several indigenes of Plateau State who were born and lived in other states for decades but have never been accepted or recognised as indigenes of those states, in spite of their long-established status in those states.

While urging Plateau citizens to remain peaceful and refrain from any acts of violence and avoid taking the law into their hands, as a consequence of the judgement, PIDAN stated that it is taking “full cognizance” of the ruling and the “various comments in the public domain”, and assured that it would explore “every available legal and constitutional means, including an immediate appeal, to address the judgement and correct what appears as a legal anomaly.”

It also called on Governor Caleb Mutfwang and all security agencies in the state to sustain the maintenance of law and order, reassuring PIDAN’s commitment to the pursuit of justice through “acknowledged legal processes”.

Please follow and like us:

20