A legal tussle over the Kofar Kudu Palace in Kano has escalated as a Federal High Court ordered the eviction of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, while a State High Court issued a restraining order against the police and other security agencies to halt the eviction.
According to The PUNCH, the Federal Court’s ruling on Tuesday declared Aminu Bayero as the rightful Emir of Kano, directing the police to ensure he receives all rights and privileges due to him as the 15th Emir.
Justice S. A. Amobeda, issuing the ex parte order, emphasized that the decision was made to uphold justice and peace in Kano State.
The order stated, “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 legal battle continues as the suit has been adjourned until June 4 for a hearing.
Meanwhile, a State High Court at Miller Road has issued a restraining order against the police, the Department of State Services, and the military, preventing them from evicting the reinstated Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
This case was initiated by Muhammadu Sanusi II along with the four kingmakers of Kano: Madakin Kano, Yusuf Nabahani; Makaman Kano Ibrahim Sarki Abdullahi; Sarkin Bai Mansur Adnan; and Sarkin Dawaki Maituta Bello Tuta.
Justice Amina Aliyu, the presiding judge, has also prohibited 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 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.”
The State High Court also ordered that the respondents refrain from interfering with the functions and duties of the first applicant as the Emir of Kano, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated May 28, 2024.
The motion on notice has been adjourned until June 13, 2024, for a hearing.
