Court of Appeal Halts Emir Sanusi’s Reinstatement Pending Supreme Court Ruling

In a significant development in the ongoing Kano Emirate dispute, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has issued a restraining order halting the enforcement of its January 10, 2025, judgment, which had upheld the Kano State Government’s repeal of the 2019 Emirate Council Law.

This ruling, delivered on March 14, 2025, suspends actions tied to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024, including the reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano, pending the outcome of an appeal before the Supreme Court.

The decision, made by a three-member panel led by Justice Okon Abang, underscores the escalating legal battle over the traditional leadership structure in Kano State.

Background of the Legal Dispute

The controversy stems from a June 20, 2024, order by Justice Abubakar Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano, which nullified the steps taken by the Kano State Government under the 2024 Repeal Law.

That legislation, passed by the state legislature and assented to by the governor, dissolved five newly created emirates and reinstated Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Emir, reversing the 2019 law that had fragmented the Kano Emirate.

However, the Court of Appeal in Kano, in its January 10 ruling, overturned Liman’s decision, declaring that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction over chieftaincy matters—a domain reserved for state high courts.

Dissatisfied, the Kano State Government escalated the matter to the Supreme Court and sought an injunction from the Court of Appeal to stay the execution of the January 10 judgment. Simultaneously, Alhaji Aminu Baba Dan (Sarkin Dawaki Babba), a key figure in the dispute, filed two applications (CA/KN/27M/2025 and CA/KN/28M/2025) on February 6, 2025, urging the court to restrain the government and security agencies from enforcing the appellate ruling while his appeal pends at the apex court.

Court’s Ruling

In a unanimous decision, Justice Abang’s panel granted the injunction, emphasizing that the application was “meritorious” and met the legal threshold for preserving the subject matter of the litigation.

The court ordered the maintenance of the “status quo ante bellum”—the state of affairs before the Federal High Court’s June 13, 2024, ruling in suit FHC/KN/CS/182/2024.

This effectively freezes actions tied to Sanusi’s reinstatement and the dissolution of the emirates until the Supreme Court delivers its verdict.

Abang highlighted the applicant’s five-year tenure as emir before his removal, arguing that the “balance of convenience” favored protecting his rights during the legal process. “The law is settled. The court is enjoined to exercise its discretion judiciously and in the interest of justice,” the justice stated, noting that a valid appeal was already before the Supreme Court.

To safeguard the respondents, the court directed Alhaji Aminu Baba to file an undertaking within 14 days to indemnify them for potential damages if the injunction is later deemed unwarranted.

Implications and Stakeholders

The injunction names the Kano State Government, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other security agencies as respondents, barring them from acting on the January 10 judgment.

The applicant had initially launched the suit in Kano to protect his fundamental rights, arguing that the trial court overstepped its jurisdiction and that the 2024 Repeal Law was legally enacted, justifying Sanusi’s reinstatement.

This ruling marks another twist in the protracted struggle over Kano’s traditional leadership, reigniting debates about the intersection of state authority, judicial oversight, and cultural heritage.

The Supreme Court’s forthcoming decision will likely determine the final fate of the emirates and Sanusi’s status as the 16th Emir of Kano.

Awaiting the Apex Court’s Verdict

As of March 14, 2025, the Court of Appeal’s intervention has paused the enforcement of the Kano State Government’s emirate reforms, preserving the pre-June 2024 status quo.

The legal saga, rooted in the tension between the 2019 and 2024 Emirate Council Laws, now rests with the Supreme Court, where the ultimate resolution of this high-stakes dispute awaits.

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