The Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN) has strongly reacted to the recent Federal High Court judgment on the indigeneity of Jos North Local Government Area, describing it as a “legal anomaly” and vowing to challenge it through all available constitutional means, including an immediate appeal.
In a press statement issued on 15th June 2026, and signed by Amb. Danjuma Nanpon Sheni, President, and Comr. Danjuma Dickson Auta, Secretary General, PIDAN said it convened an emergency meeting on 13th June to review the implications of the ruling delivered by Hon. Justice C. Donglong on 9th June 2026.
The group said it received the judgment with “shock and consternation,” insisting it conflicts with long-established judicial precedents and settled historical findings on the status of Jos North Local Government Area.
PIDAN, however, urged calm across Plateau State, warning citizens against violence or lawlessness. “PIDAN urges all citizens of Plateau State to remain calm and law-abiding,” the statement said, stressing that it will pursue the matter strictly through legal channels.
The organization disclosed that it is working with allied institutions to “explore every available legal and constitutional means, including an immediate appeal,” to overturn the ruling and restore what it described as historical legal consensus.
PIDAN argued that the question of indigeneity in Jos North has been repeatedly addressed by past judicial and peace frameworks, including the Aribiton Fiberesima Commission (1994), Niki Tobi Commission (2001), Bola Ajibola Commission (2008), and the 2004 Plateau Peace Conference.
According to PIDAN, these panels consistently affirmed that the Afizere, Anaguta, and Berom are the indigenous groups of Jos and Jos North, while other groups were recognized as long-settled residents without ancestral ownership claims.
The group also cited appellate and Supreme Court decisions, insisting that earlier rulings had already validated the findings of these commissions, making the recent judgment incompatible with “binding higher court precedents.”
PIDAN maintained that the latest ruling in the Fatima Baba Akawu case “cannot erase established legal history, gazetted white papers, and Supreme Court affirmations,” adding that the issue of indigeneity is legally settled.
On national context, PIDAN emphasized the distinction between citizenship and indigeneship, noting that while all Nigerians enjoy equal constitutional rights, ancestral ownership and customary recognition remain distinct and widely recognized across the federation.
“Citizenship grants constitutional rights, but indigeneship relates to ancestral ownership and customary rights,” the group stated, adding that all ethnic nationalities remain “valued citizens” of Plateau State but are not indigenous to Jos North.
PIDAN further called on Governor Caleb Mutfwang and security agencies to ensure continued peace and order, while reaffirming its commitment to resolving the dispute through lawful judicial processes.
“The organization remains committed to justice and will keep the public fully informed of all developments,” the statement concluded.
