Pressure Mounts On Government To Free Sanusi

 Deposed emir sues IG, DSS
. Evacuates 42,000 books from Kano palace
. Remain with us forever, Awe residents beg Sanusi

The deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, yesterday instituted a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order for his release from detention and confinement. Also, lawyers and civil society groups have continued mounting pressure on the federal and Kano State governments to allow the dethroned emir enjoy his freedom.

In a fundamental rights enforcement application filed by his lawyers led by Lateef Fagbemi, Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi and Abubakar Mahmoud, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Sanusi sought for two reliefs: “An interim order releasing him from detention and/or confinement of the respondents and restoring the applicant’s rights to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria (apart from Kano State) pending the hearing and determination of the Applicant’s Originating Motion.” Respondents in the suit include the Inspector General of Police, the Director General, Department of State Service (DSS), Attorney General of Kano State and the Attorney General of the Federation.

The application was brought under sections 34, 35, 40, 41 and 46 of the Nigerian Constitution, and Articles 5, 6, 10, 12(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9 LFN 2010 and Order IV Rules 3 and 4 of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009. The Kano State government had on Monday, March 9, dethroned Emir Sanusi II over alleged “total disrespect to lawful instructions from the office of the state governor and other lawful authorities, including his persistent refusal to attend official meetings and programmes organised by the government without any lawful justification which amount to total insubordination.”

The 14th emir of Kano was hours after his removal banished to Nasarawa State, a development that elicited outcry from different quarters. He was subsequently replaced by Aminu Ado Bayero, the son of the 13th emir of Kano. Deposed Emir Muhammadu Sanusi’s N200m library before and after Two days after the development, the Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Ibrahim Muktar said Sanusi II was only dethroned and not banished.

“The decision of the government was the emir was removed from office and a new emir was appointed. The issue of banishment was not part of the decision of the Kano State Government,” he said. The deposed emir now lives in Awe town of Nasarawa State amid tight security by federal forces including the police and operatives of DSS.

And following an allegation of complicity by the former governor of Kano State, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidency in a statement on Wednesday said President Muhammadu Buhari has no hand in the travails of the deposed emir. The unfolding drama climaxed yesterday with the decision of the deposed emir to drag both the federal and the Kano State governments to court.