A Federal High Court in Kano has issued an order preventing the Kano State Government from enforcing the Kano State Emirate Council Repeal Law.
Justice Mohammed Liman granted the order in response to an application by Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano Emirate.
The court documents related to this case have since gone viral.
On Thursday, the Kano State House of Assembly dissolved the four newly created emirate councils in the state, as reported by PUNCH Online.
This decision followed deliberations on the floor of the House during plenary.
Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf reappointed Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano, four years after his dethronement by former governor Umar Ganduje.
Governor Yusuf also deposed five emirs appointed by Ganduje, giving them a 48-hour ultimatum to vacate their official residences and palaces.
The deposed emirs were directed to hand over all affairs to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
In the latest lawsuit regarding the Emir’s seat, the respondents in the fundamental rights case include the Kano State Government, the House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Attorney-General, the Commissioner of Police, the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the State Security Service.
The court ordered that all court processes be served on the IGP in Abuja.
The judge ruled, “That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the fundamental rights application.
“In view of the constitutional and jurisdictional issues apparent on the face of the application, parties shall address the court on same at the hearing of the fundamental rights application which is fixed for the 3rd of June, 2024.
“To maintain the peace and security of the state, an interim injunction of this Honourable Court is granted restraining the fifth to eighth respondents (CP, IGP, NSCDC, and DSS) from enforcing, executing, implementing, and operationalising the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law.
“That this case is adjourned to the 3rd day of June 2024, for hearing of the fundamental rights application.”
The repealed law, known as the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law, had created the Rano, Karaye, Gaya, and Bichi Emirates in addition to Kano.
The law’s repeal means that the newly created emirates have been dissolved, consolidating the Kano Emirate once again under a single ruler.
