Court Hearing Stalls In Kano Emirship Tussle

The hearing in the Kano state emirship tussle, which was initiated by the Kano State Government at the state high court, was stalled on Tuesday due to the lack of service of court processes.

Naija News reports that the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, encountered difficulties in serving the court papers to the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, and four others.

The applicants in this case include the Attorney General of Kano State, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, and the Kano State House of Assembly itself.

Their counsel, Ibrahim Isah-Wangida Esq, filed a motion exparte on May 27, 2024, seeking to restrain Aminu Ado-Bayero and the four other dethroned emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye from presenting themselves as emirs.

The respondents in this matter are Alhaji Aminu Ado-Bayero (Kano), Alhaji Nasiru Ado-Bayero (Bichi), Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar II (Karaye), Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad-Inuwa (Rano), and Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim-Gaya (Gaya). Additionally, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director of the State Security Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Nigeria Army are also named as respondents.

During the hearing, counsel for the Inspector-General of Police, Abdulsalam Saleh, informed the court that all attempts to serve the first to the fifth respondents had been unsuccessful.

“My lord, we filed an affidavit of service. We have done our best to ensure service was made on all the five emirates but could not get to them.

“There was an order from the Federal High Court restraining the police from arresting, intimidating or harassing the respondents that was why we could not serve them,” Saleh said during the court sitting on Tuesday.

Counsel for the applicants, Eyitayo Fatogun (SAN), applied for another date to enable them to file all necessary applications for service on the respondents.

Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu held that “The 6th respondent could not have refused to serve the respondents because there was an order stopping them from arresting or intimidating the five emirates.

“As far as the law is concerned, you are only serving them papers, the earlier order can not stop you. How can you give protection to the first respondent and say you were unable to serve him?”

Naija News reports that the matter has been rescheduled to June 24 for a hearing on the motion on notice.

It could be recalled that the court, on May 27, issued an interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th respondents from acting as Emirs in Kano for the sake of peace.

Furthermore, the court directed that the five dethroned emirs be notified through the Kano Commissioner of Police’s office.

Recall that the state assembly passed the Kano emirates council (repeal) bill on May 23, which was later approved by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, leading to the dissolution of the newly created emirates.

Subsequently, the governor announced the reinstatement of Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.

Aminu Ado Bayero arrived in Kano on Saturday, May 25, and has been presiding over court proceedings at the Nasarawa mini palace since then.