The Court of Appeal, Jos Division, has delivered a landmark judgment affirming the rightful status of Tafawa Balewa town as the legally recognized headquarters of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, Bauchi State.
In its ruling, the Court nullified the controversial and illegal relocation of the LGA headquarters to Bununu, describing the action as unconstitutional, unjust, and without due process. The judgment therefore orders the immediate restoration of Tafawa Balewa town as the official headquarters.
This long-awaited judgment brings to an end years of dispute, tension, and marginalization suffered by the people of Tafawa Balewa following the relocation of the council headquarters. The Court’s pronouncement has reaffirmed the supremacy of the rule of law and the protection of constitutional rights over arbitrary decisions.
For more than a decade, the people of Tafawa Balewa endured untold hardships due to the relocation. Essential government services were denied to them, with many residents forced to travel long distances to access basic administrative functions. Economic activities in the town were crippled, small businesses collapsed, and infrastructure projects were abandoned as official attention shifted away. Despite these challenges, the resilience of the people never wavered. They remained peaceful, law-abiding, and steadfast in their belief that justice would one day prevail.
Remarkably, during this difficult period, Tafawa Balewa indigenes made significant contributions to education, community development, and peaceful coexistence. The town continued to produce notable scholars, leaders, and professionals who excelled nationally and internationally, showing that their spirit could not be silenced by political injustice. Local farmers also sustained food production for surrounding communities, proving that Tafawa Balewa remained a vital hub despite the neglect.
Speaking on the development, community leaders, stakeholders, and residents of Tafawa Balewa expressed joy and gratitude, describing the judgment as a victory for truth, justice, and the democratic process. They further commended the judiciary for standing firm in upholding fairness and ensuring that the rights of communities are not trampled upon.
The ruling also serves as a reminder to all tiers of government that governance must be guided by law, equity, and fairness, and that the voices of the people cannot be silenced through unlawful political maneuvers.
The people of Tafawa Balewa remain committed to peace, unity, and development, and call on all stakeholders to respect and implement the judgment in good faith, so that lasting harmony and progress can be achieved in the area.
Comr Joseph Emmanuel Joeman
Za’ar Concert Citizen.
September 16th, 2025
We are the indegen of tafawa balewa too, because of zaar tribalism and hatred to other Hausa ,jaar ,kanuri and the rest ,zaar would not allows them to stayed into their home town, zaar they’re the must harshest and tribalistic tribe that they do not knew what nationalism’s, they took any tribes in tafawa balewa is not the origin of the tafawa balewa, zaar kills as many as thousands of people, displaced them from their home, heritage their properties, . so now if Court has returned the local government headquarter in to tafawa balewa , what about other indigenous tribes that displaced them from their houses, this justice that make this decisions is created another conflict that been solved for more than a 14 years ago , this is injustice, this biased , and this court decision it’s show that ,there’s non balance of political power amongst the respectful citizens ,ethnicity and religious, am the origin of tafawa balewa, but now ,even to show where the location of my house is , I don’t know , they venndalized our Houses ,collected our farms forcibly, by these ,from the number one citizen of Nigeria Mr president down to the governor and others respectful political leaders, you have to be well arrangement of public hearing about this conflict issue, zaar they’re not an only indegin of tafawa balewa alone , many tribes are also an indegin of tafawa balewa, due to zaar tribalism and lack of accommodating other indigenous tribes would makes that to modified local government headquarter to BUNUNU in other peace to be reach and maintain. This injustice ,biased and tribalism, we other indigenous tribes of tafawa balewa we’re afraid to go tafawa balewa at all cost, we should not agreed with this biased decision that court decided it’s totally injustice.
This is injustice, its not zaar alone that been origin of tafawa balewa, there Hausa ,Fulani ,kanuri and the rest ,we too we have to be considers, we are in Democratic system, this court decision is injustice ,in any Democratic system ,there is the arrangement of public hearing , we should agreed ,this in justice. Bala Muhammad governor of bauchi this conflict is the supposes to be seen just like, we’re waiting for public hearing.