The royal oddity playing out in Kano Emirate is fast taking a new twist as a Kano state High Court Monday issued an interim injunction restraining Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and four other dethroned emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye from parading themselves as emirs, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the applicants.
The presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, gave the order upon hearing of exparte application by counsel to the applicants, Barrister Ibrahim Isa Wangida, dated 27th May, 2024.
Governor Abba Yusuf had Friday, reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano following the deposition of the 15th Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero.
The decision has since been greeted with mixed feelings with some supporting it and others strongly opposed to it.
However, a state high court ordered the deposed emir to stop parading himself pending the determination of the motion on notice.
The court declared: “That an order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 1st 2nd, 3rd 4th & 5th Defendants either by themselves, servants, privies, and or any other persons or officers serving under them or acting in connection with any other person from parading themselves as Emirs of Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the applicants.
“That an order is hereby granted to the extent that the Commissioner of Police Kano state should immediately take the palace of the Emir of Kano situate being and lying at State Road Kano and evict the 1 Defendant/ Respondent from the said palace pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated 24 May, 2024.
“That an order of this Hon. Court is hereby granted restraining the 1st 2nd 3rd 4th & 5th Defendants from parading themselves as Emirs of Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye in the interest of peace in Kano pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“That an order is hereby made that 1- 5th Defendants be through the office of the Commissioner Police, Kano state who is to ensure immediate implementation of the order of the Hon. Court in the interest of justice.”
Justice Aliyu fixed 11th June, 2024 for hearing of motion on notice.
…KNSG pleads with Tinubu
Meanwhile, the Kano state government has pleaded with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to help exit the deposed 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, from the state.
It said his presence in the largest northern commercial city poses a threat to the peace and stability cherished by its people.
The deputy governor, Aminu Abdussalam, said this Monday at a media parley in Kano.
He said: “We appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Office of the National Security Adviser and other agencies concerned to investigate the happenings in Kano as it relates to the deposed Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero, and take immediate steps to evacuate him from his current residence and remove him from in the state. As it is now, he is constituting a security threat in the state.
“A lot of efforts were put in place to reach out to the president on happenings around the chieftaincy matters.”
He added: “We are worried and shocked about marching orders from above to ensure the implementation of the court order. There have been talks around the court order (restraining or ex parte motion) given by a court. Whatever the circumstances around the order we as a government have never seen or received any communication in that direction.
“There are eight respondents. Out of these eight respondents, only one, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, was served with the court order while the state police commissioner, DSS, and NSCDC were never served, likewise, the Kano state government and Attorney General were not served until this moment. You cannot act on anything that you don’t know. And that is what informed all our actions till today and this moment.”
He accused some All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains of inciting the populace against the dissolution of the emirates and the reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
“But the unfortunate thing is that it seems somewhere, somehow, some people up there, because the security chiefs told us point blank that they cannot flout directive from above.
“It means somebody above is directing what should happen. Somebody was directing the security men, police and DSS should escort the emir to Kano and directives were given that they also received him here and were kept at the Nassarawa palace and a few meters away from the governor’s office and residence.
“And ever since politicians from the opposition who have been vocal and vehement about the repealed law and reinstatement of Sanusi were the people who are driving people around the deposed Emir, meeting there and conspiring to cause mayhem and chaos in the state to the extent that they came out to light bonfire, meters from the governor’s office and residence and got security cover. Ever since the process of repealing the law started, Kano was peaceful and people were jubilating only for us to start seeing negative developments,” he said.
Speaking further, Abdussalam said: “Petitions are being engineered today from the former emirates of Gaya, Rano and Bichi. The Emir of Gaya has already gone on air and stated it categorically clear that he has taken it in good fate and that he holds no grudges against anybody and appealed to his people to abide by the law.
“Today, there was a sponsored protest carried out in Gaya by APC thugs. Some people claiming to be stakeholders from Bichi wrote a letter and all of them were card-carrying members of APC in the emirate. So the whole thing is now turning into politics.”
…G-60 Reps back Sanusi’s return
In a related development, the G-60 platform in the House of Representatives has expressed support for the reinstated monarch, cautioning the federal government to steer clear and allow him reign peacefully.
The group widely believed to be pro-Fubara, Rivers State Governor, also threw its weight behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar camp.
It made the positions known in a statement issued after a closed-door meeting by the Central Steering Committee of the Opposition Coalition attended by legislators from the larger G-60, compromising Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and Labour Party (LP).
The statement, jointly signed by Hon. Obi Aguocha (LP) and Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere said: “We members of (G-60) Opposition Coalition met, examined and deliberated on the developments in Kano State regarding the reinstatement of Emir of Kano,Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
“We therefore resolved that the federal government should not destabilise Kano state and allow Emir Sanusi reign peacefully as it will be fanning embers of fire for a the Federal Government to wobble into the Chieftaincy affairs of state because it does not fall under its Constitutional authority.
“We want to state unequivocally that we are in full and firm support of the Kano State Government’s reinstatement of Emir Sanusi whose removal and banishment was an attack and desecration of the revered ancient traditional institution in the first instance and the collection of this anomaly deserves support of all peace and justice loving Nigerians.
“We were taken aback by the alleged role of some top federal security outfits in facilitating the return of Bayero to the palace by providing him with two private jets but since they had denied the claim, let’s give them the benefit of doubt.
“We cannot fold our hands and indeed many Nigerians will not just look away and allow the traditional institution which is repository of our cultural heritage trampled upon by anyone or institution using Federal machinery sustained by taxpayers’ money”.