Headlines
Court declares banishment of Emir Sanusi ll illegal, orders Kano state to apologise, pay him N10m
Aminu Abdullahi
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered Kano state government to tender an apology to the dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi ll, in two national dailies.
KANO FOCUS reports that the court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Anwuli Chikere, held that Sanusi’s forceful banishment from Kano after his dethronement, was illegal, unconstitutional and in gross violation of his fundamental human rights.
Consequently, it awarded damages against Kano state, in favour of the deposed Emir, to the tune of N10million.
It will be recalled that Sanusi was deposed as Emir by the Kano State government on March 9, 2020, after he was accused of disloyalty and insubordination.
Though the deposed Emir was initially banished to Loko village in Nasarawa State after his dethronement, later, he was forcefully moved to Awe town, where he was confined until March 13, 2020, when the court ordered that he should be granted his freedom.
Sanusi, who had since accepted his fate as the will of God, however approached the court to query the legality of his confinement in Nasarawa state.
In the suit he predicated on section 34, 35, 40, 41 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the former Emir, among other things, prayed the court to restore his rights to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria, (apart from Kano State).
Cited as Respondents in his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/357/2020, were the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the State Security Service, Attorney General of Kano State and the Attorney General of the Federation.
While adopting his final brief of argument, Sanusi’s lawyer, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, told the court that his client was not before it to challenge his dethronement.
Mahmoud said his client was in court over the gross violation of his fundamental rights in relation to the harsh way he was treated after he was deposed by the Kano state government.
He said: “My lord, this is not a chieftaincy matter. The Applicant is not before this court to challenge the Respondents’ actions with regards to his removal as Emir of Kano, but the way he was bundled to Abuja and banished to a remote location.”
Mahmoud decried that notwithstanding the status of his client is the society, he was subjected to such degrading treatment.
He argued that it was clear from the way the former Emir was treated, that his rights were grossly violated, a situation that led him to seek the intervention of the court.
He prayed the court to grant all the reliefs his client sought in the suit, among which included the declaration of his confinement in Nasarawa state as illegal.
However, all the Respondents, through their respective lawyers, urged the court to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction.
Counsel to the IGP, Victor Okoye, further challenged the competence of the suit, noting that the instrument conveying Sanusi’s banishment was authored and endorsed by an official of the Kano State Government.
He therefore argued that the Applicant ought to have filed the case before a Kano state high court.
Likewise, counsel to 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, stressing that there is a Federal High Court in Kano, before which Sanusi could seek redress.
On his part, the Attorney General of Kano State who was represented by Musa Mohammed, also challenged the jurisdiction of the court in Abuja to entertain the case.
He urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety for want of jurisdiction and competence.
Meanwhile, reacting to the judgement, the Kano State AG, through the lawyer that represented him in court on Tuesday, Abdulsallam Salleh, said they would study it properly and decide on the next line of action.
“We will look at the judgement critically and consult with our client (Kano state government) on whether we will appeal against it on not”, Salleh told newsmen.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State on Tuesday rolled out the State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (KN-SEMSAS) as part of efforts to strengthen emergency response and improve access to timely healthcare across the state.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, commended the governor for procuring 20 ambulances for the programme, describing the initiative as a strategic step to align the state with ongoing national emergency health interventions. He noted that a formal inauguration of the scheme would be held at a later date.
Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf
Dr. Yusuf said the ambulances would play a critical role in transporting pregnant women to hospitals during labour, thereby reducing maternal and infant mortality. He added that any patient conveyed to a hospital through the scheme would have their transportation costs covered by the government.
He also called on members of the Guild of Medical Directors to support the initiative by procuring additional ambulances to complement government efforts.
Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf inspecting the ambulances
According to the commissioner, the vehicles are expected to respond to distress calls within the shortest possible time, ensuring prompt medical attention for residents in need.
Dr. Yusuf further stated that KN-SEMSAS would provide free, coordinated pre-hospital and emergency care services statewide. He described the establishment of the system as a major milestone in strengthening emergency medical response, reducing preventable deaths, and improving access to life-saving care for the people of Kano State.
The event was attended by the Director-General of the Drugs and Medical Consumables Agency, Pharmacist Ghali Sule; the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KASCHMA), Dr. Rahila Aliyu Mukhtar; and the Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), Prof. Mahmoud Adamu Abbas.
Group Picture
Goodwill messages were presented by representatives of various stakeholders, including the Lafiya Project, the Kano State Accountability Mechanism (KanSLAM), and the Kano State Fire Service, among others.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has announced the constitution of three high-level committees to oversee its forthcoming State Congress scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
KANO FOCUS reports that the congress is slated to take place at the Indoor Sports Stadium, Kofar Mata, Kano, at 8:00 p.m.
The disclosure was made in a statement issued on Monday by the Kano APC Spokesperson, Hon. Ahmad Aruwa, on the directive of the outgoing State Chairman, Hon. Prince Abdullahi Abbas Sunusi.
According to the statement, the committees were constituted to ensure a transparent, credible and well-coordinated congress in line with the party’s constitution and guidelines.
Congress and Accreditation Committee
The Congress and Accreditation Committee is chaired by Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi, with Hon. Muhammad Jamu Yusuf serving as Secretary. Other members include Hon. Baffa Babba, Rt. Hon. Butu-Butu, Hajiya Sa’adatu Algon, Hon. Ali Haruna Makoda, Hon. Abdullahi Rogo, Hon. Baffa Takai, Hon. Lamin Sani, Sani Ma’aruf, Hon. Sani Bala, Khalid Ishaq, Barrister Mannir Rimin Gado and Hon. Hassan Hussain.
Publicity Committee
The Publicity Committee is headed by Muhammad Garba as Chairman, with Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa as Secretary. Members include Lawan Hussaini, Jamilu Danbatta, Yusuf Sharada, Musa Liliyasu, Ghali Sadiq, Binta Spikin, Uba Dan Zainab, Ibrahim Yaro and Ahmad Aruwa.
Security Committee
The Security Committee is chaired by Col. Malami. Other members are Mustapha Bakwana, the Director-General of Special Services, Bala Albasu, CP Balarabe Musa, Group Captain Kura, Dr. Garba Sani Diso and Air Commodore Yusha’u Sulaisu Tudun Wada.
Hon. Aruwa stated that the party leadership has full confidence in the committees’ ability to deliver a peaceful, orderly and successful congress.
He urged party members and stakeholders to cooperate fully with the committees and conduct themselves in a disciplined and responsible manner throughout the exercise.
The APC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening internal democracy and consolidating unity within the party in Kano State.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State has strengthened its position as a leading subnational actor in climate governance following a strategic departmental meeting of the Kano State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
KANO FOCUS reports that a major highlight of the meeting was the state’s intensified support for Nigeria’s Second Biennial Transparency Report (BTR2) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The ministry disclosed that ongoing collaboration with sectoral ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) across Energy, Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU), Waste and Industrial Processes is ensuring credible and harmonised greenhouse gas emissions data in line with the transparency requirements of the Paris Agreement.
In what officials described as a significant milestone, Kano has been selected as one of three pilot states under the UK PACT programme to develop a Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system. The initiative is expected to institutionalise structured emissions reporting, strengthen accountability mechanisms and support tracking of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
In a statement signed by Dr. Umar Saleh Anka, Director of Climate Change, the ministry also announced the commencement of preparations for the third edition of the Climate Governance Performance Ranking. The exercise aims to enhance methodological rigour, promote peer learning, improve transparency and deepen stakeholder engagement in climate action.
Further consolidating the state’s leadership role, the Commissioner for Environment was recently appointed Regional Lead (North West) of the Community of Practice for Environment and Climate Change, a move expected to strengthen regional collaboration and policy coordination.
The statement added that, the state government reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening institutional systems, improving emissions transparency and advancing coordinated climate action across Nigeria.
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