A Federal High Court sitting in Kano, on Thursday, June 20, 2024, nullified the reappointment of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano.

Aminu Babba-Dan’agundi, who holds the title of Sarkin Dawaki Babba, had, through his lawyer, Ibrahim Aliyu-Nasarawa, filed a motion dated May 23, in which he asked the court to restrain the Kano State Government from implementing the Kano State Emirate (Repeal) Law 2024.

The law had repealed the 2019 Emirate Council law that established five emirates from the original Kano emirate.

With all Emirs sacked, the 14th Emir of Kano, Sanusi, who was sacked by Abdullahi Ganduje’s administration in March 2020, was reinstated as the 16th Emir to replace Aminu Ado Bayero, who was consumed by the repeal of the law.

Dissatisfied with the development, Babba-Dangundi took the matter to court to seek a reversal of the removal of Bayero.

The respondents were the Kano State Government, the Kano State House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Kano State House of Assembly, the Attorney-General of Kano State, and the Kano State Commissioner of Police.

Others included the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Department of State Services (DSS).

Delivering a ruling, Justice Abdullahi Muhammad-Liman declared that all actions carried out by the state government following the passage of the Kano Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024 were null and void.

The judge said: “I hereby order that every step or action taken by the respondents in pursuant to Kano Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024 is null and void and is set aside.

Sanusi reinstated as 16th Emir of Kano

“However, this order does not affect the validity of the law.”

Justice Muhammad-Liman also ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante.

He held that the respondents were aware of the earlier order dated May 23, to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the case.

The judge added: “I think it is a very serious matter for anyone to flout the orders of the court and go scot-free with it.

“The catastrophic situation could have been averted if the respondents followed due processes by complying with the court order, which would still have allowed them to carry out their assignments.”

Justice Muhammad-Liman granted the respondents’ application for stay of proceedings pending hearing and determination of their application at the court of appeal on jurisdiction.

“I hereby transfer the case to Justice Simon Amobeda, Federal High Court 3,” he said

The Kano State House of Assembly had, on May 23, dissolved all the four newly created emirate councils in the state.

Governor Abba Yusuf, on May 23, dethroned the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, and reappointed Sanusi as the Emir of Kano, four years after he was dethroned by Ganduje.

The Star