A Kano State High Court, presided over by Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, has issued a perpetual injunction restraining the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, and four other dethroned Emirs in the State from presenting themselves as traditional rulers.
The ruling effectively bars Bayero alongside the dethroned Emirs of the defunct Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye Emirates, from claiming or exercising any emirate power.
LEADERSHIP reports that the Kano State government, represented by its counsel, Ibrahim Isah-Wangida, had on May 27, 2024, initiated the case, seeking to stop Bayero and other dethroned emirs from parading themselves as traditional rulers.
Named as respondents were Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero (15th Emir of Kano), Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero (2nd Emir of Bichi), Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar II (Emir of Karaye), Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad-Inuwa (Emir of Rano), and Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim-Gaya (Emir of Gaya). Additionally, the Inspector General of Police, the Director of the State Security Service in the State, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Army were listed as respondents.
The ruling stemmed from the decision by the Kano State government to dethrone the five emirs, who were appointed by the previous administration of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
The decision to abolish the four out of the five emirates has led to a legal battle and widespread debate within the state, with the deposed Emir Bayero holding court in the Nasarawa mini palace in Kano while reinstated Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, resides in the main Emir’s palace, both claiming to be the legitimate traditional rulers of Kano.
The court’s decision marks a critical point in the ongoing saga, potentially reshaping the traditional leadership structure in the State.