Bala James Nggilari (born 4 December 1952, in Lassa, Borno State) is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who served as the Governor of Adamawa State from October 2014 to May 2015. He assumed the governorship following the impeachment of his predecessor, Murtala Nyako. Prior to this, Nggilari served as Deputy Governor under Nyako from 2007 to 2014. He was succeeded in 2015 by Bindo Jibrilla.

In March 2017, Ngilari was sentenced to five years in jail without option of fine by a Yola High court for corruption, but was soon afterward acquitted and freed by the Court of Appeal in July.

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Bala James Nggilari (born 4 December 1953) is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who served as Governor of Adamawa State from 8 October 2014 to 29 May 2015. He previously served as Deputy Governor of Adamawa State under Governor Murtala Nyako and represented the Michika/Madagali/Maiha constituency in the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007. Early life and education Bala James Nggilari was born on 4 December 1953 at Lassa, then in Borno Province, to a family connected with the teaching profession. His father was trained as a teacher through the Church Missionary Society and served in several communities in the area, including Gashala and Midlu (Mildu). Nggilari attended primary schools in Gashala, Lassa and Gulak before proceeding to Government Secondary School, Yola. He studied Law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree. He subsequently attended the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978. Legal and public service career Following his legal training, Nggilari undertook the National Youth Service and began his legal career with Ba'aba & Co. He subsequently worked with Gadzama & Zakari before establishing his own legal practice, Nggilari & Co., in Maiduguri. His professional engagements included legal work for organisations and institutions such as the Nigerian Television Authority, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, United Bank for Africa, First Bank of Nigeria, Chad Basin National Park and the Central Bank of Nigeria branch in Maiduguri. Nggilari also participated in national public affairs. He was a delegate to the 1994–1995 Constitutional Conference and served as a member of the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission, popularly known as the Oputa Panel. House of Representatives Nggilari entered elective politics and was elected in 2003 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to represent the Michika/Madagali/Maiha federal constituency in the House of Representatives. He served in the Fifth National Assembly from 2003 to 2007. Deputy Governor of Adamawa State In 2007, Nggilari was selected as the running mate to Murtala Nyako in the Adamawa State governorship election. The ticket won the election and Nggilari was sworn in as Deputy Governor on 29 May 2007. His first tenure as deputy governor ended in February 2008 following the political crisis that resulted in Nyako's removal from office. After Nyako's return to office, Nggilari returned as deputy governor on 29 April 2008. Nggilari remained deputy governor until the political crisis of 2014 that culminated in Nyako's impeachment. 2014 succession crisis Following the impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako in July 2014, the Adamawa State House of Assembly appointed its Speaker, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, as acting governor. A dispute subsequently arose over Nggilari's status as deputy governor and whether he had validly resigned from office. Nggilari challenged the purported resignation and sought judicial intervention. On 8 October 2014, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in Nggilari's favour and ordered that he be sworn in as governor. The court also ordered Fintiri to vacate the office of acting governor. Governor of Adamawa State Nggilari was sworn in as Governor of Adamawa State on 8 October 2014. His administration remained in office until 29 May 2015. He contested the 2015 Adamawa State governorship election as the PDP candidate but was defeated by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bindo Jibrilla. Legal proceedings 2017 conviction After leaving office, Nggilari was prosecuted alongside other former officials in a case concerning alleged violations of the Adamawa State Public Procurement Law 2013. On 6 March 2017, the High Court of Adamawa State convicted Nggilari on five of six counts and sentenced him to five years' imprisonment without an option of fine. Court of Appeal Nggilari appealed the conviction to the Court of Appeal sitting in Yola. On 20 July 2017, the Court of Appeal allowed the appeal, set aside the High Court judgment, quashed the charge and discharged and acquitted Nggilari. The court considered, among other issues, the constitutional requirement under section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution that an offence and its punishment must be prescribed by written law. Supreme Court The State appealed the Court of Appeal judgment to the Supreme Court of Nigeria in The State v. Bala James Nggilari, Ibrahim Andrew Welye & Sanda Jonathan Lamurde, Appeal No. SC/725/2017. On 5 June 2026, the Supreme Court delivered judgment in the appeal. The court considered the State's challenge to the Court of Appeal decision concerning the prosecution under the Adamawa State Public Procurement Law 2013. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the Court of Appeal's decision in favour of Nggilari undisturbed. Pension litigation Nggilari was also involved in litigation concerning pension and gratuity benefits arising from his service as deputy governor and governor. In Bala James Nggilari v. Adamawa State Government & Ors, Suit No. NICN/ABJ/356/2015, the National Industrial Court considered claims relating to the Adamawa State Governor's Pension (Amendment) Law 2010. Judgment was delivered on 4 March 2020. Later political activities Following his tenure as governor, Nggilari remained active in political and public affairs in Adamawa State. In 2025, he was identified as the leader of the Adamawa State Former Deputy Governors Forum and participated in engagements with Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. In subsequent political activities, Nggilari was also associated with the All Progressives Congress and participated in party-related political engagements in Adamawa State. References

See also • Governor of Adamawa State • Adamawa State • Murtala Nyako • Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri • Bindo Jibrilla • Oputa Panel • House of Representatives (Nigeria)