JUMMAI HANNATU SANKEY, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is an Appeal against the decision of the High Court of Justice Gombe State in Suit No. GM/93/2000 delivered on the 22nd October, 2007 in which Judgment was entered in favour of the Respondent in a claim in respect of title to land filed by the Respondent.
The Respondent in his claim before the Lower Court stated that he had hired out a part of the farmland he inherited from his father to the Appellants. That subsequently after paying rents on the land for two years, the Appellants failed to pay further rents for periods ranging for between 16 to 20 years. On the part of the Appellants, they contended that the Respondent??s father was granted the farmland as a traditional tenant who did not pay any rent. That the land was supposed to revert to the Appellants?? parents after the Respondents?? father vacated same, which never happened as the Respondent??s father lived and died on the farmland, as did his wife and some o…