Emirate tussle: CJN summons judges over conflicting orders as Kano bans protests

Emirate tussle: CJN summons judges over conflicting orders as Kano bans protests

 

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, has summoned the chief judges of the federal high court and the Kano State over conflicting orders issued by the courts in Kano on the emirate tussle in the city

The Director of Information of the National Judicial Council, Soji Oye, confirmed the invitation to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

Also, the Nigerian Bar Association demanded an investigation into the conflicting court orders on the Kano emirate throne tussle between the reinstated emir, Muhammadu Sanusi, and Ado Bayero, who was deposed by the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, last week.

The NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, called on the respective heads of the courts to investigate the judges’ conduct and report their findings to the NJC for necessary actions.

 

 

Worried by the tension created by the judicial rulings, the Kano State Government has banned protests and public gatherings related to the emirate tussle.

In the aftermath of the removal of Bayero and the four emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye,  four contrary rulings had been handed down by three judges.

On the day of Sanusi’s reappointment, Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court, Kano, restrained the Kano State Government from implementing the new emirate law.

 

 

 

Governor Yusuf, however, rejected the court order, arguing that the judge who issued it was in the United States at the time.

On Monday,  Justice Amina Aliyu of the Kano State High Court issued an order restraining Bayero from parading himself as the Emir of Kano pending the determination of a suit instituted by the Attorney General of Kano State, Speaker House of Assembly and Kano State House of Assembly.

The judge also restrained the four other dethroned emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye from parading themselves as emirs pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the applicants.

The judge gave the order after hearing an ex-parte application dated May 27, 2004, filed by Ibrahim Wangida, the counsel to the applicants.

Twenty-four hours later, Justice S. Amobeda of the Federal High Court and Justice Aliyu issued two contradictory orders on the same Kano emirate tussle.

Amobeda ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Hussain Gumel, to ensure that all rights and privileges of an Emir were given Bayero.

Furthermore, he ordered the eviction of the reinstated emir, Sanusi II, from the Gidan Rumfa palace.

 

 

Aliyu on the other hand restrained the police, the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Army from evicting Sanusi from the palace.

The judge barred the respondents from “attempting to hijack” the symbols of authority meant for the Emir of Kano pending the determination of the suit.

The judge gave the interim order in a case filed by Sanusi and four Kano kingmakers.

The respondents include the Kano CP, the IG, the director of DSS, the Chief of Defence Staff, and Bayero.

The Director of Information of the NJC, Soji Oye,  on Wednesday in Abuja confirmed the invitation of the chief judges

Giving details of the invitation, a senior official, who spoke in confidence because he was not authorised to disclose the matter to the media, said, “It’s not going to be an immediate thing. It will take some time because there is a process to it. The Chief Justice cannot act alone or carry out disciplinary action on the judges all by himself. The council will set up a committee to investigate the judges. If found guilty, the committee will come up with sanctions to be meted out to them.’’

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the Kano State Government has banned all public gatherings or protests within the state. The government warned that any individuals involved in any form of protests would be promptly apprehended.

 

 

This was contained in a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Tofa, on Wednesday.

It read, “By virtue of his position, the governor has directed the police, the Director of State Security Services, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to apprehend, detain, and prosecute any individual or group partaking in demonstrations on the streets of Kano.

“This decisive action is a pre-emptive strategy aimed at averting any potential breakdown of law and order orchestrated by adversaries of the state.

“We are privy to credible intelligence indicating that certain prominent figures from the opposition party in Kano have devised plans to sponsor student associations and political agitators from other northwestern states to incite chaos under the guise of advocating for the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.”

“Through this declaration, we caution student groups against being manipulated by troublemakers who are resolute in fomenting disorder in Kano.”

The government urged all citizens of the state to go about their normal activities.

“The government will persist in vigilant oversight of the situation to promptly address any individuals or factions trying to undermine the relative peace that the state presently enjoys,” the statement added.