From Yakubu Wuyep,Jos
Justice S.K. Sheltu of the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos, Division has directed the Plateau State Government, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Philemon Daffi, and the former Commissioner for Lands Survey and Town Planning, Hon Peter Nyam Gai, to respond to a suit seeking to compel them to file their defense in a suit challenging the defendants by Armstrong Ekomah (claimant).
The court gave the order on Tuesday, when the matter came up.
The state government, Daffi and Gai were expected to file and serve their reply to the applicant’s counter affidavit, which order was issued by the Judge on last hearing date, before the next hearing on November 10, 2026.
Barr. Armstrong Ekomah and (Doing business under the name and style of L.E Armstrong & co-filed the suit, marked PLD /J536/2026.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), S.S.Obende, prayed the court that since the defendants could not file their responses let the court invoke Order 20 Rule 1 of the guidelines of the Plateau State law.
Obende stated that the matter was earlier adjourned today the 10th Day of November, 2026 at the instance of the absence of the three defendants .
However, his application was that the defendants flaunt the order of the court and were not represented by a counsel ,adding that the claimant counsel pleaded for the court to deliver judgment base on order 12 rule 3 by urging the court to grant the application as prayed .
According to him, the application was in pursuant to order 20 rule 1 as the defendants refused to honour let the Order 22 Rule 1 or Order 12 Rule 3 be served as a serious warning.
Counsel to the applicant, Obende, told the court that he was ready to proceed with the hearing but owing to the defendants failure to file their responses.
However, the defendants he had filed an application seeking the order of the court to deliver judgment as the first, second, and third respondents were absent.
He said the defendants had failed to respond with a counter affidavit raising serious issues, to which the court had the jurisdiction to pass its ruling.
Sheltu, nonetheless, adjourned the matter and ordered that the defendants be served for them to file their response before tomorrow.