Court declares banishment of deposed Kano emir, Sanusi, illegal, awards ₦10m compensation

Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, November 30, declared as illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional, the banishment of the deposed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to Awe, a remote community in Nasarawa State.

Delivering judgement in Mr. Sanusi’s suit, the judge, Anwuli Chikere, awarded ₦10 million compensation to him and against the respondents comprising the police, the State Security Service (SSS), and the Attorney-General of Kano State.

She also ordered them to tender a public apology to him in two national dailies. She held that the restrictions placed on Sanusi after his deposition on March 9, 2020, on allegations of insubordination are a clear arbitrary vi*lation of his right to freedom of movement and personal liberty granted by the Nigerian constitution.

She agreed with Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), counsel to Sanusi, that his client was moved out of Kano to Abuja and later to Awe, in Nasarawa State against his wish.
She further held that the right to freedom of liberty and personal dignity granted under Section 34 of Nigeria’s constitution cannot be taken away as done by the respondents except with express order of the court.

The judge subsequently voided the arrest, hara*sment, and banishment of Sanusi to Abuja and later to Nasarawa State and set it aside on the ground of being an infringement of his fundamental human rights.