Court of Appeal to hear dispute over Adamawa’s Fufore Emirate.

A lawsuit contesting the creation of the Fufore Emirate in Adamawa State has been brought before the Court of Appeal after a High Court dismissed it.

The Fufore Emirate was established in December 2024, carved out of the Adamawa Emirate, the most prominent traditional authority in the state. Following its creation, three senior title holders of the Adamawa Emirate filed a legal challenge against the new emirate.

In March, a High Court in Yola ruled that the emirate had been created in accordance with legal procedure. Dissatisfied with that decision, the plaintiffs have now filed a Notice of Appeal with the Yola Division of the Court of Appeal, restating their objections.

The appellants—Alhaji Musa Halilu Ahmed, Alhaji Mustapha Dahiru Mustapha and Alhaji Mustapha Ahmadu—submitted their Notice of Appeal on Tuesday, seeking to overturn the judgment delivered by Justice Musa Usman of the Adamawa State High Court on 3 March 2026.

The case challenges not only the creation of the Fufore Emirate but also the appointment of Alhaji Mohammed Sani Ahmadu Ribadu as its Emir, alleging procedural deficiencies.

The appellants argue that the trial court erred by declaring their suit incompetent for failing to serve a pre‑action notice, despite the urgency of the matter.

They also criticize the lower court’s determination of locus standi, asserting that as senior traditional title holders within the Adamawa Emirate, they have a direct interest in matters affecting the integrity of the emirate.

In their appeal, the traditional title holders seek the nullification of Adamawa State Legal Notice No. 56 of 2024, issued on 20 December 2024, which created the Fufore Emirate.

They also request that the court invalidate the inauguration of the Fufore Emirate and its Emirate Council, and restrain the Fufore Emir from presenting himself as the Emir.