Members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of Al Manar Education and Development Foundation, proprietors of the Al Manar Juma’at Mosque in Kaduna, have indicated plans to appeal a Federal High Court judgment that dismissed their suit challenging their suspension by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Justice Rilwanu Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Thursday struck out the case, ruling that it was improperly filed as a fundamental human rights application.

The court held that the issues raised by the applicants did not fall within the scope of enforceable fundamental rights.

The trustees had approached the court to set aside their suspension by the CAC, arguing that the action was taken without a fair hearing.

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Speaking after the judgment, counsel to the applicants, Mas’ud Alabelewe Esq., said his clients filed the suit on the basis that their right to a fair hearing had been violated. He noted that the court, however, took a different legal position.

Alabelewe said the trustees have applied for the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment to enable a thorough review before deciding on the next legal step, including a possible appeal.

Separately, a suspended BoT member, Alhaji Aliyu Moddibo, said the trustees were likely to approach the Court of Appeal after studying the full ruling, describing the matter as a dispute over the management and future of the foundation’s assets.

When contacted, the Chief Imam, Sheikh Tukur Adam Al-Manar, declined to comment on the court’s decision but rejected claims relating to financial impropriety, stating that he is not a signatory to the foundation’s bank accounts.

He also maintained that the mosque is a Da’awah project entrusted to him by its founders. (The Nation)