In what masquerades like a battle for supremacy, state and federal high courts in Kano State have continued to issue conflicting judgements over the emirship tussle in the state.
A Federal High Court in the state, on Tuesday, May 28, ordered the eviction of the reinstated Muhammad Sanusi II from the official palace.
The presiding judge, S.A. Amobeda, granted an ex parte motion filed by the applicant, Aminu Ado Bayero, the dethroned emir.
Amobeda, in the suit marked FHC/KN//CS/190/2024, directed the inspector-general of police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and Kano commissioner of police Hussain Gumel, to ensure that all rights and privileges of an emir are given to Ado Bayero.
He also ordered the state government to stop intimidating and harassing Bayero.
In a ruling by another court – the State High Court – a judge in the court, Amina Aliyu restrained the police, the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Army from evicting Sanusi II, from the palace.
The order by the Federal High Court came a few hours after the state High Court restrained Bayero from parading himself as the Emir of Kano.
However, the order by the state High Court has since been shunned by Ado Bayero and the police, with the security operatives beefing up security around the Nasarawa mini palace where he holds his court.
“An order restraining the 3rd, 4th, and 5th respondents and all other respondents from denying the applicant to use his official residence and palace at the Emir’s Palace, Kofar Kudu, as well as enjoyment of all rights and privileges accrued to him by virtue of being Emir of Kano State, and to evicting anybody residing within the palace illegally pending the hearing and the determination of the originating summons,” the temporary injunction reads.
The judge restrained the respondents and the security operatives from arresting Bayero pending the determination of the suit he filed, with the case being adjourned till June 4 for a hearing.
State High Court judgement
On Tuesday, May 29, the Kano State High Court issued an order restraining the police, the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigerian military from evicting Sanusi.
The ICIR reported that Ado Bayero was dethroned as Emir of Kano along with four other emirs on Thursday, May 23.
Sanusi was, however, reinstated as the Kano emir on Friday, May 24.
Tuesday’s ruling was in a case filed by Sanusi, alongside four kingmakers of Kano: Madakin Kano Yusuf Nabahani, Makaman Kano Ibrahim Sarki Abdullahi, Sarkin Bai Mansur Adnan, and Sarkin Dawaki Maituta Bello Tuta.
“An order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the respondents either by themselves, their agents, privies, representative, and assigns from further harassing, intimidating, inviting, arresting and or invading the personal or official residence of the applicants (Gidan Rumfa), his servants and or any of the Kano Emirate kingmakers of doing such acts that would be capable of interfering with the applicants’ rights generally about this suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“That an order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the respondents from attempting to hijack, pick, commandeer, confiscate any of twin spear of authority, the Royal Hat of Dabo, the Ostrich-feathered shoes, the knife and sword of the Emir of Kano as well as symbols of authority pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“That an order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the respondents from taking further steps in connection with the matter or maintaining status quo of staying all action pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
The judge also ordered the dethroned emirs from parading themselves pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated May 28 2024.
On Monday, May 27, the same court also issued an order restraining Bayero from parading himself as the Emir of Kano pending the determination of the suit.
The ruling came in response to a suit filed by the Attorney-General of the state, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, and the Kano State House of Assembly.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M