The Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice A'ishat Dahiru, on Monday restrained the PHCN from disrupting power supply to any premises within the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that with this development, PHCN is expected to restore electricity supply which had been disrupted since three days in the state.
The court order followed an exparte motion filed by Sokoto State Government, challenging the PHCN over a blackout of the state by the corporation over an alleged assault on its staff by Gov. Aliyu Wamakko.
The governor had since denied the allegation.
The government had prayed the court to make an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the first defendant (PHCN), its agents and or privies, from disrupting the generation, transmission and sale of electricity to consumers in the state.
Other reliefs sought included an order of mandatory injunction, directing PHCN and its agents to continue to maintain electricity transmission lines and apparatus throughout the state.
?The plaintiff also urged the court to give a perpetual injunction restraining the second defendant, National Union of Electricity Employees, from taking any action to disrupt the generation, transmission, supply and sale of electricity to consumers.
The government urged the court to grant an injunction against the first and the second defendants, from interfering with the generation, transmission and sale of electricity to any premises owned or controlled by either the executive, legislative or the judiciary arms of government.
Ruling on the motion in her chamber, the chief judge upheld that PHCN and its staff had no right to disrupt electricity supply in the state.
“The first and the second defendants are hereby restrained from taking any action or steps capable of disrupting or interfering with the generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity to any premises owned by the government and people of Sokoto state.''
She said the order was pending the hearing of a motion on notice which was fixed for Nov. 12.
Briefing newsmen shortly after the ruling, counsel to the state government,? Mr Jacob Ochidi, said in addition to the substantive suit, there was two motions, an exparte and motion on notice.
He said the Judge only heard arguments on motion exparte and granted the prayers.
Ochidi said the defendants would be served accordingly and failure to comply, the government would seek for remedial orders.
The News Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports that PHCN disconnected electricity in all public places in the state following an alleged misunderstanding between the governor and an employee of the corporation.
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