The Federal High Court in Kano has awarded N10 million in compensation to Emir Aminu Ado Bayero following an order for his arrest and eviction from the palace issued by the Kano State Government.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had dethroned Ado Bayero last month, demanding that he relinquish power within 48 hours. However, Ado Bayero, who was not in Kano at the time, returned and moved into a smaller palace in Nasarawa. This led to an order for his immediate arrest by Governor Yusuf.
Ado Bayero challenged the governor’s actions in court, requesting the nullification of the law used to depose him and the reinstatement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II. The respondents in the suit included the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Attorney General of Kano State, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Commissioner of Police in Kano, the State Security Service (SSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, and the Nigerian Navy.
Delivering the judgment on Friday, Justice Simon Amobeda asserted that the court had jurisdiction to hear the case, emphasizing that it was a fundamental rights enforcement application. He stated, “Ado Bayero has the liberty and legal right to move freely and live anywhere in Kano or elsewhere in Nigeria.”
While the court upheld Ado Bayero’s right to freedom, it declined to order the eviction of Sanusi from the Gidan Rumfa palace.
Ibrahim Isa Wangida, counsel to the Kano State government and Sanusi, described the judgment as a mixed victory, noting, “The court did not void the law that warranted Sanusi’s reinstatement.” He added that he would consult his clients on whether to appeal the N10 million compensation awarded against them.
Abdulrazaq Ahmad, counsel to Ado Bayero, expressed satisfaction with the judgment. “The court has inherent powers to hear and determine the case and confirmed that the fundamental rights of my client were breached or about to be breached,” he said. Ahmad noted that the judgment restrains the state government and any security agencies from further infringing on the emir’s rights.
This ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing conflict over traditional leadership in Kano, affirming the court’s role in protecting individual rights against executive overreach.