Federal High Court Orders Sanusi’s Eviction, State Court Stops Enforcement

A Federal High Court in Kano has ordered the eviction of Emir
Muhammadu Sanusi II from the Kofar Kudu Palace, while a State High Court
has restrained the police and other security agencies from carrying out
the eviction order.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
a State High Court sitting at Miller Road restrained the police, the
Department of State Services and the military from evicting the
reinstated Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.The case was filed
by Muhammadu Sanusi II 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.The presiding judge,
Justice Amina Aliyu, 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
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.”It further ordered that the respondents be restrained
from interfering with the functions, and duties of the first pplicant as
the Emir of Kano pending the hearing and determination of the motion on
notice dated May 28, 2024..The motion on notice was adjourned till June 13, 2024, for a hearing.