The Federal High Court in Sokoto has adjourned hearing in the leadership case involving the Sokoto State chapter of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to July 22, 2026.

The court also awarded N500,000 in costs against counsel to the 1st defendant and directed him to reimburse the plaintiff’s counsel for air transportation and other related travel expenses upon presentation of valid receipts.

The ruling followed an application for adjournment filed by counsel to the 1st defendant, Dr. Sulaiman Usman, SAN, and moved by Barrister Salmanu Jabo.

Jabo told the court that his principal was unavoidably absent due to engagements related to the matter and said several defence processes had yet to be served on all parties, particularly the 4th and 5th defendants. 

He argued that proceeding with the hearing would violate the principle of fair hearing.

Counsel to the 2nd and 3rd defendants, Prof. Ibrahim Abdullahi, SAN, supported the application, while counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Mathew Burkaa, SAN, opposed it, arguing that repeated adjournments had delayed the determination of the case.

In his ruling, Justice Ahmad Mahmud Gama held that all parties must first be properly served and given the opportunity to respond before the matter could proceed, noting that failure to do so would undermine the principles of fair hearing.

The judge subsequently granted the application for adjournment, awarded costs against the 1st defendant’s counsel, and fixed July 22, 2026, for further hearing.

Speaking with journalists after the proceedings, Jabo said the adjournment was necessary because some parties had not been served with key court documents.

The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, David Mark, has said that the blood of innocent people who were killed in Benue State is crying for justice.

Mark said the people terrorising communities of the state should be held fully accountable by the law because it is important to maintain peace across the state.

In a statement from his media aide, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC National Chairman called on the Federal Government to act quickly and firmly to stop the ongoing killings and kidnappings in Benue and Plateau states.

Mark’s comment comes amid the occurrence of renewed violence which has led to the killing of 16 people in Otukpo area of Benue State, and nine others in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, by groups believed to be armed militias.

He said: “It’s not acceptable that innocent Nigerians are still being killed in their communities and that people are being taken away on our roads. The main job of any government is to keep people and their belongings safe.

“Every life lost is one too many, and every attack that isn’t stopped only makes the attackers bolder.”

Mark urged the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and other security groups to increase their efforts against the people responsible for the attacks.

He asked for better intelligence collection, ongoing monitoring of communities that are at risk and major roads, and quick sending of security officers to areas where attacks are likely to happen.

He also asked for urgent search-and-rescue efforts to save the passengers who were taken from the Benue Links bus.

Mark said that the people who carried out the killings and kidnappings should be found, caught, and put on trial quickly to stop what he called a growing culture of getting away with crimes.

“No Nigerian community should be left to face armed criminals and violent groups,” Mark said, asking the federal government to handle the worsening security situation in Benue with the seriousness it requires.

“The blood of innocent Benue people cries out for justice. This is the time for decisive action not routine assurances.

“Those who murder innocent citizens and terrorise our communities must face the full wrath of the law. Benue deserves peace, our people deserve to live without fear.”