High Court 10 in Barnawa, Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State presided by Justice Bashir Shitu Yusuf began hearing, Tuesday, 19th March, 2024 into the case filed by the Applicant, Christie Yori, challenging the decision of the traditional council in Sabon Sarki District, to bury an empty casket against the reposed body of late Captain Saleh Usman and also seeking the court to redirect the traditional council to bury the deceased whose corpse is still languishing in the mortuary.

Counsel to the Defendants, Barr. Jerry Joseph Dabo, said, the applicant filed an application asking the court to review the decision of the traditional title holders where the deceased, Late Captain Saleh Usman, hailed from to bury him.

So, she (Christie Yori) is challenging the decision of the traditional council for burying an empty casket. The body of the deceased is still in the mortuary and is yet to be buried and the Applicant is seeking the court to review the decision of the traditional council and redirect them to properly bury the corpse of the deceased that is still in the mortuary. The Applicant is saying there was no burial because the corpse is still in the mortuary.

He went further saying, We were served with the application very late, but were able to respond to the application within time. We didn’t go on today because the Applicant still has the opportunity to respond to what we have filed so that we can come proper before the court and fortunately enough the court graciously granted us the opportunity to go an put our houses in order for them to file their response, if need be, for us to also respond to what they have filed.

According to the District Head of Sabon Sarki and Mabudin Kachia, HRH, Mr. Jacob Jeff Dogo, tradition has taken its course and we have done what tradition told us to do and we have done it. No position is more than that. We don’t know any Christie Yori, we don’t know her. We don’t have anybody who bears the name Christie Yori in Sabon Sarki District. We have buried our brother(Saleh Usman) traditionally. We have no qualms with anybody. Certain traditional beliefs and rites cannot be publicised. We are Ham and we have our unique culture.

In a press statement issued by a group known as Gidan Jibir Patriotic Youths, which was signed by Mr. Illiyasu Usman, reads:

WE, the Youths of Gidan Jibir in the Sabon Sarki District of Kachia Local Government, are out here today to protest the abuse and desecration of our Ham (Jaba) customs and traditions. The perpetrators of this aborminable act ( Ms. Christie Dominic Yori, Mrs Ladi Edward Pati, Hajia Zainabu Usman and one Tori Yori Usman) have proven to be unscrupulous and unworthy daughters of Southern Kaduna.

For the records, Ms. Christie Dominic Yori who was a side chick of our late beloved uncle Capt. Saleh Usman was never married to him at any point in his lifetime as evident by the High Court ruling of 20/4/2010 delivered By Justice Zailani. The judgement was publicised by Daily Trust of Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 and Leadership Newspaper of Friday, May 7, 2010. The judgement prohibited her from ever using the Usmans name as she was never married to Capt. Saleh Usman. Same woman went ahead to fill INEC registration forms with same Usmans name, when she contested to be Vice Chiarman of Jema’a LGA under APC flag in 2021. This act was challenged again in the Magistrate Court in Barnawa and she was asked to remove the Usmans name from her Names and to provide an affidavit to that effect which she did, copies of which are attached here.

From the forgoing it can be clearly seen that Capt. usman though having allegedly had children with the said Christie Dominic Yori, never at any point married her nor allowed her to use his name nor ever allowed her into the family house.She was never married to Capt. Saleh Usman by either traditional nor legal means and as such has no right to intrude into to affairs of the Usmans.

When Capt. Saleh Usman fell sick, he was taken hostage to Jos by Christie Yori, thereafter all efforts by his beloved wife of over 33years Barr (Dr) Deborah Usman to fly him abroad for proper medical attention met stiff resistance from the antics of Ms. Christie Yori, Mrs. Ladi Edward Pati and Mr. Tori (now Yori ) Usman whom Cashed-in on the vulnerability of a sick and helpless Capt. Usman Saleh and continually prevented him from flying abroad for proper medical care .

Capt. Saleh Usman died on 10th September 2023. the duo of Ms Christie Yori and Yori Usman her son decided to hide the corpse from the Usman family. Mr. Yori Tori Usman (24years) an alleged son of Capt. Saleh Usman is his second son with Mr. Ahidjo Saleh Usman (40years) beign the first son. But Mr. Yori T Usman flagrantly refused to release the corpse of Capt. Saleh Usman in a conspiracy arrangement between him, his mother Ms Christie Yori and Hajiya Zainabu and Mrs Ladi Edward Pati. they thwarted all efforts at getting the corpse of Capt. Usman Saleh so as to be accorded the needed burial rites.

The Usmans family have till this day 19th March, 2024. Not been informed by Ms. Christie Yori about the death of our son, nor has she deemed it neccesary to tell them the whereabout of our son’s corpse. The family reserves the right to institute legal actions against her but in obediance to the cultural norms and traditions of the Ham people, the family have decided to let go, as the burial of Capt. Saleh Usman has been concluded according to Ham traditionally laid down rules.

The corpse was deposited at the Airforce Hospital Morgue in Jos. the family used all means and avenues of retrieving the corpse from them to no avail.pleas from the Military high command, Respected sons and daughters of Hamland and the traditional institutions of both Ham and Gwong (Kagoma) land (homeland of Christie Yori) pleaded for the release of the corpse all to no fruition which act is unprecedented disgraceful and shameful in the entire Southern Kaduna.

At this juncture the people of Gidan Jibir in accordance with the customs and traditions of the Ham people had no other option than to go ahead and perform the needed burial rites as enshrined by our customs and traditions. So Capt. Saleh Usman was buried according to our (Ham) tradition and that settled it. Three days later Mr. Yori T. Usman came to Gidan Jibir in the company of armed policemen and threatened to employ the services of thugs to forcefully bury the body of Capt. Usman Saleh in Gidan Jibir, this act is completely forbiden and a gross desecration of our traditional beliefs as no Son or daughter of the land can be given burial rites twice. The community youths and elders repelled that attempt and he Mr. YoriT Usman together with his co-conspirators (Ms. Christie Yori, Mrs Ladi Edward Pati and Hajia Zainabu) have brought the matter before the court, that is why we are here.

We wish to emphatically state thus:
– We will not allow anyone abuse our Ham (Jaba) customs and traditions. Ms. Christie Dominic Yori STOP using the name USMAN
– We also advice Mr. Yori Tori Usman to seek from his mother Ms. Christie Yori, His true PATERNITY, as he is not son of Gidan Jibir.
– Mrs. Ladi Edward Pati should STOP causing trouble in her Uncles house. she is not Usman and as such should stay clear of the Usmans family.
– That Hajia. Zainabu who is the Elder sister to Capt. Usman Saleh should STOP hiding in far away United States of America and SPONSORING acts capable of distorting the peace in Gidan Jibir community. we have it on tape how she wires monies aimed at executing this forbiden project of theirs.

All we seek is the protection of the rights of Gidan Jibir Community in particular and the respected and revered Ham (Jaba) people to practice their customs and traditions without fear or hinderance.