A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned a suit filed by the deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II challenging his banishment to Nasarawa State.The Court fixed November 30 for judgment in a suit filed by the deposed Emir of Kano, North-west Nigeria, Muhammadu Sanusi II challenging his banishment to Awe, a remote community in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria.
Sanusi who’s a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria was deposed after a resolution by the Kano State Executive Council on March 9, 2020.
He was subsequently banished to Awe, where he was confined until he was released on March 13, 2020 following an interim order for his release by the same court.
However, the judge, Justice Chikere on Thursday fixed the date for judgement after taking final arguments from lawyers representing parties in the fundamental rights enforcement suit.
Respondents, in the suit with Ref. No: FHC/ABJ/CS/357/2020, were the Inspector-General of Police, State Director, Department of State Services, Attorney-General of Kano State and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Sanusi’s lead counsel, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), in his final submission said. “This is not a chieftaincy matter. The applicant (Sanusi) is not challenging the respondents’ action as regards his removal as Emir of Kano, but the way he was bundled to Abuja and banished to a remote location.”
Mamoud faulted the respondents’ challenge to the Abuja court’s jurisdiction to hear the case, arguing that “no law supports the position that where rights violation occurs across several jurisdictions, one cannot approach a court in any of the jurisdictions.”
IGP’s lawyer Victor Okoye faulted the competence of the suit and queried the jurisdiction of the court to hear it. He added that the instrument conveying the ex-emir’s banishment was authored and endorsed by an official of the Kano State Government in Kano State.
He argued that the appropriate venue for Sanusi to seek redress for the alleged violation of his rights was a court in Kano State.
Similarly, Lawyer for the DG of the DSS, Godwin Agbadua, urged the court to strike out the suit on the grounds that the alleged rights violation occurred in Kano.
Also, the counsel for Attorney-General of Kano State, Musa Mohammed (the Director of Civil Litigation of the State Ministry of Justice), also faulted the jurisdiction of the court in Abuja to hear the case and prayed the court to dismiss the suit.