Court Reserves Judgment in Numan–Jalingo Road Rights Suit for February 26, 2026

The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State, has reserved judgment in a fundamental rights enforcement suit challenging the prolonged neglect and unsafe condition of the Numan–Jalingo Road.

The suit was filed by a human rights lawyer and public interest litigator, Barrister Bilyaminu Lukman Maihanchi, against the Federal Government and relevant agencies over the alleged failure to rehabilitate and secure the federal road.

Maihanchi is asking the court to declare that the continued deterioration of the Numan–Jalingo Road violates the constitutional rights of citizens to life, human dignity and freedom of movement as guaranteed under Sections 33, 34 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

At the hearing on Tuesday, all parties adopted their respective processes, while several respondents raised preliminary objections challenging the competence and justiciability of the suit. After listening to arguments from all sides, the court reserved judgment for February 26, 2026.

Speaking to journalists after the proceedings, Maihanchi said the case was not driven by politics but by concern for human lives.

"This case is not about politics or policy. It is about human lives. When a federal road becomes a death trap, exposes commuters to insecurity, and degrades human dignity, it ceases to be a mere infrastructure issue and becomes a constitutional matter," he said.

He expressed optimism that the court would deliver justice, adding that the suit was not intended to embarrass any level of government but to compel accountability and protect citizens from avoidable harm.

"Nigerians should not be forced to choose between travelling and surviving. Roads are meant to connect lives, not end them. This case is a call for urgent remedial action, not confrontation," Maihanchi added.

The Numan–Jalingo Road is a major federal corridor linking Adamawa and Taraba states. Its prolonged deterioration has been linked to frequent accidents, cases of kidnapping, economic losses and exposure of commuters to unsafe and degrading conditions.

Judgment in the matter has been fixed for February 26, 2026.