A Federal High Court in Kano has issued an interim injunction preventing the Inspector General of Police, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting or detaining Aminu Ado Bayero, the deposed Emir of Kano.
Ruling on the motion ex parte, Justice Amobeda ordered “the Nigeria Police and other respondents to refrain from denying Bayero access to his official residence and palace at Kofar Kudu.”
The injunction also “protects Bayero’s right to enjoy all privileges as the Emir of Kano and prevents any eviction from the palace pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons.”
The lawsuit lists several respondents, “including the Attorney General of the Federation, the Attorney General of Kano State, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, and the Kano State Commissioner of Police. Other respondents include the State Security Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, and the Nigerian Air Force.”
This court order comes just a day after a Kano High Court “instructed Bayero to stop presenting himself as the 15th Emir of Kano and directed the police to evict him from the mini palace on State Road.”
Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu’s order will remain in effect until June 11, 2024, when the substantive motion will be heard.
This legal conflict arose after a Federal High Court ruling on Thursday restrained the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as Emir of Kano and suspended the law that established five emirates in the state.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has contested this ruling, arguing that the judge responsible was in the United States at the time.
He stated his intention to report the matter to the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), asserting, “There is nothing stopping the recognition of Muhammadu Sanusi II as Emir of Kano.”
In defiance of the ruling, Sanusi II moved into the emir’s palace on Friday and began his duties as Emir of Kano.
On Saturday morning, Bayero, who was out of town during his deposition, “returned to Kano and was escorted under heavy security to the mini palace on State Road.”
This ongoing legal tussle underscores the complexity and volatility surrounding the emirate’s leadership and the significant involvement of state and federal authorities in the matter.