A group of concerned lawyers have taken a bold step by asking a Federal High Court in Abuja to order President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Zamfara State. They believe the state’s worsening security situation and political instability have gone beyond control.

The legal action was filed on July 8, 2025, by Reuben Boma, Okoro Nwadiegwu, and a civic group known as the Incorporated Trustees of One Love Foundation. Their legal representative is respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Goddy Uche.

In the suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1363/25), they listed several top government officials as defendants — including the President himself, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and both the Attorney-General and Governor of Zamfara State.

According to the lawyers, Zamfara State is currently facing major threats — including deadly bandit attacks, ongoing communal violence, and a leadership crisis in the state House of Assembly. They argue that these challenges amount to a complete breakdown of law and order.

They specifically asked the court to:

Declare that the current crisis in Zamfara justifies a state of emergency, based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.

Direct the National Assembly to take over the functions of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, which has been plagued by internal conflict since April.

The plaintiffs also pointed out that the suspension of 10 lawmakers has crippled the Assembly’s ability to meet or make decisions, since they no longer have the minimum number of members needed to form a quorum.

They raised four key constitutional questions in the case, one of which is whether the President is legally justified in declaring a state of emergency under the current conditions, even if it means removing the governor and deputy from office.

As of now, the court has not yet scheduled a date for hearing the case. Nigerians, especially those in Zamfara, will be watching closely to see what the outcome will be.