The Federal High Court in Kano has confirmed its jurisdiction to hear the fundamental human rights case regarding the Kano emirate crisis.
Previously, the court had ordered the state government and other parties involved to suspend the enforcement of the Kano state Emirate Council Repealed Law 2024, which reinstated Sanusi, pending the resolution of the substantive case.
In a ruling on Thursday, Justice A. M. Liman concluded that the claims made by the applicants were based on alleged violations of fundamental human rights rather than issues of chieftaincy. As such, the court has the inherent authority to hear, consider, and decide on the matter.
Justice Liman confirmed that his court had the jurisdiction to initially hear the case and retains that authority for the ongoing proceedings.
Aminu Babba, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, has joined the lawsuit against the state government, the state House of Assembly and its Speaker, the Attorney-General of the state, the state Commissioner of Police, the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the State Security Service (SSS).
Justice Liman ruled on Thursday that the court has jurisdiction to hear the case and adjourned the hearing of all pending applications to June 14.
The state House of Assembly had repealed the State Emirate Council Law 2019 on May 23. This law, enacted by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, had divided the Kano Emirate into five distinct units. The repeal dissolved the four emirates created in 2019—Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye—resulting in the dismissal of their emirs.
This action restored Kano as the only state in Nigeria, apart from Sokoto, with a single emirate council, with the Sultan as its sole paramount ruler.
