…Sanusi wants court to declare his banishment illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void

The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and dethroned Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has formally dragged the Kano State government and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) before a Federal High Court Abuja, over his unlawful banishment to Nasarawa State.

Sanusi is praying the court to release him from detention and confinement to Awe town.

In the suit brought pursuant to section 34, 35, 40, 41 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution and Order 4 Rule 4 of the Federal High Court, the former emir wants the court to restore his right to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria apart from Kano State.

Other respondents in the legal action are the Inspector General of Police and Director General, State Security Service (SSS).

Sanusi in a fundamental human rights suit is represented by about 30 lawyers including 12 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, is headed by Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi SAN.

In the suit with no: FHC/ABJ/ CS/357/2020, the former Emir of Kano is asking the court to declare his banishment to Nasarawa State as illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.

Sanusi was on Monday, March 9, 2020, dethroned as Emir of Kano by the State government.

Among others, Sanusi was accused of disrespect to authorities of Kano state government, disloyalty and absence from meetings without cogent reasons
From the tone of his court action, the former emir appeared not challenging his dethronement but unlawful banishment to a village in Nasarawa state.

Shortly after his dethronement, he was banished to Loko village in Nasarawa State from where he was later moved to Awe town from where he has moved to Lagos after obtaining an interim order to be freed by security agencies restraining his movement.