Legal Showdown: Court Halts Government’s Actions on Kano Emirates Repeal Law 2024
…As Kano Gov’t Issues Fresh Eviction Notice To Ado Bayero
In a dramatic legal twist, the Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman, has taken decisive action against the Kano State government’s attempt to repeal the Kano Emirates Council Law. The court’s ruling, delivered on Thursday, nullified all steps taken by the government after the now controversial reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as 15th Emir of Kano.
This is coming as the state government has issued fresh eviction notice to Emir Aminu Ado Bayero from the Nassarawa mini palace.
The Kano House of Assembly had previously repealed the law, leading to the dethronement of Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as the Emir of Kano. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf implemented this decision, further reversing the creation of four emirates: Bichi, Rano, Karaye, and Gaya. The emirs appointed by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje were also dismissed.
However, the same law was later used to reappoint the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who had been dethroned by Ganduje in 2020. This legal maneuver sparked controversy and prompted a challenge from Aminu Babba Danagundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, a kingmaker in the former Kano emirate.
However, Justice Liman’s ruling was unequivocal. He set aside all actions taken by the government, emphasizing that they were in violation of the court’s order to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motions on notice. The judge expressed concern about flouting court orders and emphasized that due process should have been followed.
“The respondents,” Justice Liman stated, “decided to act according to their whims and caprices, a situation that landed them in a serious mess.” His ruling nullified the government’s actions, rendering them null and invalid.
Meanwhile, in another development in the Kano Emirates dispute, the State Government has ordered the police to remove the 15th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero from the Nassarawa mini palace.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had issued a similar directive when Ado Bayero returned to the state two days after his dethronement.
The governor had ordered the police to arrest the dethroned monarch whom he accused of fueling tension.
However, more soldiers were deployed in the mini palace to provide security for Ado Bayero.
Weighing in on the issue at the time, Mohammed Gunel, Commissioner of Police, had said the police would obey the order which restrained Kano government from reinstating Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi.
He had said, “The Police Command is expressly obeying the Court Order with SUIT No. FHC/KN/CS/182/2024 Dated 23rd May, 2024 issued by the Federal High Court sitting in Kano alongside ail Law Enforcement agents in the State.”
But addressing journalists at Government House, Kano, on Thursday, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for justice, Barrister Haruna Isah Dederi, said the dethroned monarch should be evicted because all is set for the reconstruction and renovation of the property.
He said, “By the ruling of the Court, it has, unequivocally, reaffirmed the validity of the law passed by Kano State House of Assembly and assented to by His Excellency the Executive Governor of Kano State on Thursday 23rd May, 2024 by 5:10pm. This part of the judgement is very fundamental to the entire matter.
“Further implication of the ruling is that all actions done by the Government before the emergence of the interim order of the honorable Court, are equally validated. This means that, the abolishing of the Five emirates created in 2019 is validated and the deposition of the Five emirs is also sustained by the Federal High Court. By implication this means that Muhammadu Sanusi II remains the emir of Kano.
“Following this Court’s ruling, Kano State Government has directed the State Commissioner of Police to remove the deposed emir of the 8 metropolitan local governments from the Government property where he is trespassing as Government has already concluded arrangements for the general reconstruction and renovation of the property including the demolishing and reconstruction of the dilapidated wall fence with immediate effect.”
