Court blocks Sanusi’s reinstatement as Emir of Kano

The reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II has been blocked by a Federal High Court in Kano through an Order stopping the Kano State Government from enforcing the Kano State Emirate Council Repeal Law.

The Repeal law that reinstated Sanusi as Emir was passed by lawmakers of the Kano State House of Assembly on Thursday in Kano.

Meanwhile, Justice Mohammed Liman ruling on an application brought before his Honourable Court by Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano Emirate seeking to stop the reinstatement of Sanusi as emir of kano was granted.

CAPITAL POST on Thursday reported that the four ruling Emirates in Kano have all been dissolved.
The dissolution of Emirate Council gave opportunity to the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, on Thursday,to reappoint Lamido Sanusi who has been on banishment in Lagos since 2020.

In addition, the governor deposed five emirs appointed by Ganduje and gave them a 48-hour ultimatum to vacate their official residences and palaces.

He also directed them to hand over all affairs to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
In the latest lawsuit concerning the Emir’s seat, the news agency reports that the respondents in the fundamental rights case are the Kano State Government, the House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Attorney-General, the Commissioner of Police, the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the State Security Service.

Meanwhile, the court ordered that all court processes be served on the IGP in Abuja.

The judge ruled, “That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the fundamental rights application.

“That in view of the constitutional and jurisdictional issues apparent on the face of the application, parties shall address the court on same at the hearing of the fundamental rights application which is fixed for the 3rd of June, 2024.

“That in order to maintain the peace and security of the state, an interim injunction of this Honourable Court is granted restraining the fifth to eight respondents (CP, IGP, NSCDC and DSS) from enforcing, executing, implementing and operationalising the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law.

“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application.

“That this case is adjourned to the 3rd day of June 2024, for hearing of the fundamental rights application.”
“Status quo ante” refers to the previously existing state of affairs.

The repealed law, known as the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law, had created Rano, Karaye, Gaya, and Bichi Emirates in addition to Kano.

The law’s repeal means that the newly created emirates have been dissolved, consolidating the Kano Emirate once again under a single ruler.