The Court of Appeal in Abuja has halted the reinstatement of Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano, pending an appeal before the Supreme Court.
A three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Okon Abang, ruled on Friday that the implementation of the January 10 judgment—which had overturned Sanusi’s removal—should be suspended. The earlier ruling, delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, had found that the nullification of Sanusi’s appointment by a Kano State High Court lacked jurisdiction.
However, in fresh applications CA/KN/27M/2025 and CA/KN/28M/2025, the appellate court deemed it necessary to preserve the subject matter of the case. Justice Abang emphasised that Sanusi, having served as emir for five years before his removal, deserved legal protection.
The dispute traces back to June 20, 2024, when a Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice Abubakar Liman, nullified the Kano State Government’s Kano Emirates Council (Repeal) Law 2024, which had reinstated Sanusi II as the 16th Emir. The ruling was challenged by Aminu Baba-Dan’Agundi, leading to a complex legal battle involving multiple appeals.
The appellate court ruled that chieftaincy disputes fall under the jurisdiction of the Kano State High Court or the FCT High Court, not the Federal High Court. Consequently, it ordered that the case be transferred to the Kano State High Court, where a new judge—one not previously involved—would oversee the matter.
The court also imposed a fine of N500,000 against Baba-Dan’Agundi in favor of the Kano State House of Assembly. However, Justices Mohammed Mustapha and Abdul Dogo disagreed on the transfer order, ruling instead that Baba-Dan’Agundi’s suit should be struck out entirely.
The case remains in legal limbo as the Supreme Court is set to determine the final outcome of Sanusi’s reinstatement. Newscentral