The Kano State Ministry of Justice has achieved a remarkable milestone, handling over 2000 criminal and civil cases at higher courts, magistrates, and Sharia courts in the year 2024; this impressive feat demonstrates the ministry’s unwavering commitment to upholding justice and maintaining law and order in the state.

The Attorney General/Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Haruna Isa Dederi, revealed this shortly after receiving a comprehensive annual report of the Ministry’s performance in 2024, a testament to the hard work and dedication of the State’s Legal Counsel.

Barrister Dederi revealed that the Ministry made significant strides and concluded 352 cases in Public Prosecution and Civil Litigation departments, including 103 robbery cases, 92 homicide cases, 117 rape cases, 24 unnatural cases, and 36 civil litigation cases, among others.

He added that the Ministry facilitated the drafting of 69 agreements and 59 MOUs for the development of state and local government councils. Also, in a legislative development, the Ministry drafted and amended a total of 118 bills in 2024. This remarkable achievement aimed to enhance service delivery and promote prudence across various Ministry departments and agencies to create a more efficient and effective governance framework.

He affirmed that the Ministry had successfully mediated and secured recoveries for complainants in 70 cases, encompassing a range of issues including marital affairs, business disputes, community and inheritance matters. It also facilitated free bargains in cases involving rape, where the parties involved and their guardians agreed to settle out of court.

The Attorney General commended the Kano State Government, led by Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, for approving the recruitment of 70 additional Legal Counsel to enhance service delivery in the justice sector. This significant boost to the Ministry’s workforce is expected to improve the administration of justice, ensuring that cases are handled more efficiently and effectively.

The Commissioner charged the newly recruited Legal Counsel to provide quality legal services, ultimately promoting justice and upholding the rule of law. The ministry will soon organize capacity building for their benefit.

As the year comes to a close, the Kano State Ministry of Justice’s impressive conviction rate serves as a beacon of hope for the people of Kano State and a testament to the ministry’s commitment to upholding justice and promoting the rule of law.

The Justice and Equity Watch Group (JEWG) has raised concerns over an alleged disregard of a Federal High Court judgement by the Kano State office of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
This was conveyed in an open letter addressed to the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Anthony Okechukwu Ojukwu (SAN), urging swift action to address the matter.

The open letter, signed by JEWG’s Kano State Chairman Danjuma Habibu, highlighted a judgement by Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano, which voided the reappointment of Muhammad Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano, on 20th June, 2024.
The judgement mandated a return to the status quo ante and nullified all actions taken after Sanusi’s purported reinstatement.

Despite the court’s ruling, JEWG alleges that the Kano NHRC office has shown bias by officially visiting Muhammad Sanusi II at the Emir’s Palace on December 5, 2024.
The visit, conducted in preparation for the International Human Rights Day celebration, is perceived by JEWG as an implicit recognition of Sanusi as the Emir of Kano, directly contradicting the court’s directive.

The letter stated that “All security agencies in Kano have respected the court’s judgement, maintaining the status quo ante. However, the NHRC Kano office’s actions are a blatant disregard for this legal mandate.”

JEWG is calling on Mr. Ojukwu, known for his commitment to the rule of law, to investigate and sanction those responsible for what they term a “flagrant disrespect” of the judiciary.

The group emphasized the importance of upholding court rulings to maintain public confidence in the nation’s legal system.

“All eyes are on the Executive Secretary to ensure that the integrity of the judiciary is protected and that the NHRC Kano office aligns its actions with the principles of justice and equity,” the letter concluded.

The controversy surrounding the Kano Emirship tussle remains a sensitive issue, with stakeholders urging restraint and adherence to legal processes. Observers await the NHRC’s response to JEWG’s call for action.

Mustapha Alfanla (Kwara)

The Kwara state Governor Mal. Abdulrahman Abdurazaq alongside members of his cabinet joined the Emir of Ilorin HRH Alh Dr Ibrahim Sulu Gambari and other sympathizers to pay their last respects to the late Chief of Staffs to the Governor, Prince Abdulkadir Mahe at the palace of the Emir today Thursday 2nd January 2025.

The Fidau prayer which was led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Shaykh Muhammad Bashir Solihu described the late Prince Mahe, as a humble and dedicated servant of Allah and therefore prayed Allah to place him in the Highest grade of paradise.

While delivering his sermon, Shaykh Sulaiman Abubakar Dan Borno, the Grand Mukaddam of Ilorin Emirate described the late Chief of Staffs as a devoted servant of Allah who was humble and a true reflection of his ancestry to the lineage of the great Islamic reformer Shaykh Alimi of Ilorin emirate.

He said his working with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, which he commended, has further exposed his virtues to the World, asking his family and working team to take solace in the fact that he lived a good life.

The cleric enjoined all Muslim Ummah to take their worship very seriously and always do good as if they would no longer be alive in the next few seconds.

Prince Abdulkadir Mahe, a son of the late 10th Emir of Ilorin, Mallam Aliyu AbdulKadir, who died at the age of 73 was until his death the Chief of Staffs to the Chairman of Nigerian Governor’s Forum, Mal Abdurahman Abdulrazaq.