Court bars Emir of Zazzau’s challenger over unpaid fine

…. Adjourns defamation suits to June 16

​From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

​A Kaduna State High Court sitting in Dogarawa, Zaria, has barred a claimant from being heard in an ongoing defamation suit against the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, citing non-compliance with a standing court order.
​At the resumed session on Wednesday, the presiding judge, Justice Yakubu Badamasi, ruled that the claimant, the former Wazirin Zazzau, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad Aminu, could not be granted the right of audience until he purged himself of contempt.
​The court had previously slapped a N200,000 fine on the claimant for lack of diligent prosecution, noting the significant costs and inconvenience incurred by defense counsel traveling from Lagos, Abuja, and Kaduna.
Since the fine remains unpaid, Justice Badamasi invoked the legal principle that a party in disobedience of a court order forfeits the right to be heard.
​Consequently, the matter was adjourned to June 16, 2026, to allow for compliance.
​In a related development, a separate defamation suit filed by Dr. Nasiru Bashari Aminu against the Emir also faced a procedural setback during the same session.
​During the proceedings, the defense team—led by Barrister Morris Odey, along with A.U. Bamalli and M.K. Jonathan—successfully challenged the claimant’s filing of a Pre-Trial Conference Sheet. The defense argued that the filing was fundamentally flawed and in violation of court rules.
​The court observed that Form 16 (Notice of Pre-Trial Conference) must be formally issued by the court registrar and accompanied by Form 17, a process that was not followed by the claimant’s counsel. Justice Badamasi subsequently adjourned the case to June 16, 2026, for a ruling on the procedural irregularity.
​The legal tussle stems from a suit filed by Dr. Nasiru Bashari Aminu, who alleges that the Emir made defamatory remarks against his father during an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI). In that interview, the Emir discussed the complexities and challenges surrounding his selection and eventual appointment to the throne.
​The Zazzau Emirate leadership has faced several legal hurdles since the October 2020 appointment of Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli by then-Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
However, on March 19, 2025, the Court of Appeal in Kaduna dismissed a major suit seeking the Emir’s removal.
The appellate court ruled that the challenge, initiated by a former kingmaker, was statute-barred, having been filed outside the constitutionally permitted timeframe.