Breaking: Court sacks reinstated Kano Emir Sanusi

A Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice A. M. Liman, has nullified the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.

In a landmark ruling that lasted about an hour, the judge declared the appointment of Sanusi as Emir of Kano null and void, citing the government’s failure to comply with a court order to halt actions under the new emirate council law.

Persecondnews recalls that despite a Federal High Court order restraining him from reappointing Sanusi, Gov. Abba Yusuf on Thursday, May 23, enacted the revised Kano Emirate Council Bill 2024, reappointing Sanusi as the Emir of Kano, effectively reinstating him to the throne.

He also nullified the creation of four emirates – Bichi, Rano, Karaye, and Gaya.

Aminu Babba Danagundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba and a key kingmaker in the former Kano emirate, contested the legality of the law and petitioned the court, through his lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), to strike down the law and declare it invalid.

Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman heard the motion on Friday and deferred his decision until today, scheduling a ruling on the petition.

The judge condemned Gov. Abba Yusuf’s actions, labelling his speech during Sanusi’s reappointment as a recipe for chaos and anarchy, warning that disregarding court orders despite evidence of service sets a dangerous precedent that could lead to chaos and instability.

He directed the reinstatement of the original Kano Emirate Council Law 2019, which had previously divided Kano into five distinct emirates: Kano, Bichi, Karaye, Rano, and Gaya, effectively restoring the original territorial configuration.

In the same vein, on June 14, a Federal High Court ruled that the Kano State Government must pay Alhaji Aminu Ado-Bayero, the 15th Emir of Kano, N10 million in damages for violating his fundamental human rights.

In his ruling, Justice Simon Amobeda declared that Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf’s order to the police to arrest the 15th Emir without a valid reason was a blatant violation of the Emir’s fundamental rights and constituted a threat to his personal liberties.

Represented by his lawyer, Mr. M. L. Yusufari (SAN), Ado-Bayero filed an ex parte motion on May 27, urging the court to grant an interim injunction restraining the state government from arresting, harassing, or violating his fundamental rights in any way.