Kano Emirship: Confusion as courts issue conflicting orders

A Federal High Court in Kano has ordered the eviction of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II from the Kofar Kudu Palace.

But the Kano High Court sitting on Miller Road  stopped the police, the State Security Service (SSS) and Nigerian military from evicting the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who was recently reinstated.

The Federal Court had, on Tuesday, ordered the police to ensure all rights and privileges due to the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Bayero be given to him, as the rightful Emir of Kano.

The presiding judge, Justice S. A. Amobeda, who gave the ex parte order, stated that the order was made in the interest of justice and maintenance of peace in Kano State.

The order states, “An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents either by themselves, their agents, servants, privies or any other person or authority from inviting, arresting, detaining, threatening, intimidating, harassing the applicant, raiding, tempering with or visiting the applicant’s in order to arrest or infringe on his right or in any other way infringe or attempt to infringe the applicant’s rights pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.

“An order restraining the third, fourth and fifth 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 anything, anybody residing within the palace illegally pending the hearing and the determination of the originating summons”

The suit has been adjourned till June 4 for a hearing.

But the Kano High Court sitting on Miller Road has stopped the police, the State Security Service (SSS) and Nigerian military from evicting the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who was recently reinstated.

Granting the order, Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu of the Kano High Court also restrained the security agencies from arresting or harassing the emir and his kingmakers.

The judge held “that 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 in relation to 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

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.

“That it is further ordered that the Respondents are restraining from interfering with the functions, duties of the 1″ Applicant as the Emir of Kano pending the hearing and determination of the mation on notice dated 28 May, 2024.”

The case was filed by the emir alongside the four kingmakers of Kano: Madakin Kano Yusuf Nabahani; Makaman Kano Ibrahim Sarki Abdullahi; Sarkin Bai Mansur Adnan and Sarkin Dawaki Maituta Bello Tuta.

The motion on notice is adjourned to June 13, 2024 for hearing.