Zamfara Community Cycle Initiative, Musa Umar and Ahmad Jamilu have dragged the governor of Zamafara State, the attorney general and commissioner of justice, Nigeria Communication Commission, MTN, Globacom and Bharti Airtel Limited to court over the recent withdrawal of mobile telephone network services by the Zamfara State Government.
The plaintiffs are alleging breach of contract by mobile network companies. Consequently, the plaintiffs want an order directing the defendants, jointly and severally, to pay N100,000,000.00 damages for direct losses suffered by the plaintiffs.
In addition, they want an order directing the defendants, jointly and severally, to pay to the plaintiffs N6,000,000.00 being the cost of prosecuting this suit.
The suit was filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by their lawyer, Barrister Sylvester Imhanobe.
The plaintiffs among others, are asking the court to determine whether there exists between them and the 4th, 5th and 6th defendants, a binding contract for the provision of telecommunication services including internet and email.
“Whether the directive of the 1st and 3rd Defendants to the 4th, 5th and 6th Defendants to unilaterally shut down the telecommunication services in Zamfara State on the 3rd September, 2021 thereby denied the Plaintiffs access to the use of telecommunication services in the State is not a breach of the contract between the Plaintiffs and the 4th, 5th and 6th Defendants? They want a declaration that the relationship between the plaintiffs and the 4th, 5th and 6th Defendants is contractual and binding.
“A declaration that the directive of the 1st and 3rd Defendants to the 4th, 5th and 6th Defendants to unilaterally shut down telecommunication services in Zamfara State on the 3rd September, 2021 induced a breach of the contractual relationship between the Plaintiffs and the 4th, 5th, and 6th Defendants.
“A declaration that the act of the 4th, 5th and 6th Defendants to comply with the directive of the 1st and 3rd Defendants and to unilaterally shut down telecommunication services in Zamfara State on the 3rd September, 2021 is a breach of the contractual relationship between the Plaintiffs and the 4th, 5th, and 6th Defendants.
More so, the plaintiffs want an order directing the defendants to immediately restore telecommunication services in Shinkafi, B/ Magaji, Zurmi, Maru, Maradun and Bakura local government areas of Zamfara State.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the matter.