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The Court of Appeal in Abuja has put a temporary hold on the reinstatement of Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano, pending further legal proceedings.
This decision follows a ruling by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on January 10, which nullified the Kano State High Court’s earlier order that had invalidated Sanusi II’s reappointment as Emir of Kano.
Justice Kolawole had ruled that the matter fell outside the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court and should be transferred to the Kano State High Court.
However, in response to fresh applications (CA/KN/27M/2025 and CA/KN/28M/2025), the Court of Appeal decided to halt the reinstatement process, agreeing that the subject matter must be preserved until all legal questions are resolved at the appropriate level.
Delivering the ruling, the appellate court, led by Justice Okon Abang, noted that Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II had served as Emir for five years before his removal in 2020 and, therefore, deserved legal protection.
Notably, the dispute stems from the Kano State Government’s enactment of the Kano Emirates Council (Repeal) Law 2024, which paved the way for Sanusi II’s reinstatement as the 16th Emir of Kano after his removal in 2020.
However, in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Aminu Baba-Dan’Agundi, the Federal High Court in Abuja voided the law and ruled that the state assembly and other involved parties must maintain the status quo under the previous legal framework.
The Court of Appeal, however, overturned this ruling, citing Section 251 of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 22(2) of the Federal High Court Act. It determined that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction over the case and ruled that it should be transferred to the Kano State High Court for proper adjudication.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, who initially overturned the nullification of Sanusi’s reinstatement, had ruled that the matter should be handled by the Kano State High Court. However, a panel of three justices later determined that the suit filed by Aminu Baba-Dan’Agundi at the Federal High Court should have been struck out rather than transferred.
The ruling effectively puts a legal block on Sanusi II’s reinstatement while the case proceeds to the appropriate jurisdiction. Meanwhile, the court also ordered the payment of outstanding bridge claims owed to petroleum marketers, as many businesses are struggling due to the delay in payments.
