By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo
ZARIA — The Kaduna State High Court sitting in GRA, Zaria, has reserved judgment in the ongoing debt recovery appeal involving prominent businessman Alhaji Umar Farukh and former federal lawmaker, Alhaji Sani Sha’aban, the Dan-Buran Zazzau.
Presiding Justices Yakubu Badamasi and Kabir Dabo announced on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, that the court would deliver its ruling at the next appeal session, following exhaustive arguments from both legal teams.
The appeal challenges a February 2024 ruling by the Upper Sharia Court II, GRA Zaria, which found Sha’aban liable for debts totaling $709,238 and ₦11.2 million. The lower court had ordered the sale of his properties in Zaria and Kano — including a GRA residence — to offset the debt owed to Farukh.
At the resumed hearing, Sha’aban’s counsel, Barrister Usman Gambo, sought to amend elements of the appeal application, a request strongly opposed by the respondent’s lead counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Abdullahi Yahaya. Yahaya argued that the proposed amendment violated appellate procedures and was a tactic to delay the court’s decision.
This latest development follows an earlier incident in May 2025 when the High Court fined Sha’aban ₦100,000 for submitting an unsigned and defective court document — an action described by Yahaya as a deliberate attempt to mislead the court and obstruct the debt recovery process.
During Wednesday’s session, Gambo argued that the original judgment was premature, claiming the debt repayment was contingent upon the sale of his client’s properties, which he said had not been completed at the time the ruling was issued.
In response, Yahaya insisted that Sha’aban had failed to fulfill the conditions of the repayment agreement despite being granted a grace period by the lower court, thus justifying the ruling against him.
After hearing both parties, the appellate panel confirmed that judgment would be delivered at a later date, to be communicated to all involved.
Speaking to reporters after the proceedings, Yahaya said, “We are satisfied that the appeal has been fully argued. The judges will do their part now. We await the judgment.”
Sha’aban’s counsel, Gambo, also commented, “The court has reserved judgment after hearing our submissions. We will be notified once the decision is ready.”
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