Deposed Emir Sanusi Reveals Those Behind His Detention

The sacked Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has accused the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, of being behind his detention.

Naija News recalls that the Kano State government led by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Monday, March 9, dethroned Emir Sanusi.

Emir Sanusi’s dethronement followed the State Council executive meeting presided over by the Governor Ganduje.

However, a statement by Alhaji Usman Alhaji, the Secretary to the State Government, said Emir Sanusi’s dethronement was due to his “total disrespect to lawful instructions from the office of the governor and other lawful authorities”

“The Kano State Executive Council under the chairmanship of His Excellency, the governor of Kano, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje has unanimously approved the immediate removal/dethronement of the Emir of Kano Emirate, Muhammad Sanusi II,” the statement said.

Against the backdrop of this development, the former Central Bank Governor was banished from Kano to a town in Nasarawa State.

The exiled Emir Sanusi was relocated to Awe town by the Nasarawa State Government.

In the suit Sanusi filed on Thursday to challenge his detention and confinement in Awe, the Emir described his dethronement as unjustifiable.

He, however, stated that he won’t take legal action against the Kano State Government.

He claimed the Attorney General of Kano State, Ibrahim Muktar, and Abubakar Malami (SAN) instructed the Department of State Services and police to detain him.

The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor accused security operatives of harassing and rushing him out of the palace without being allowed to pick up his personal belongings.

Sanusi said upon his ouster, an unnamed friend of his sent an aircraft to Kano to convey him and his family to Lagos but that the Kano State Commissioner of Police ordered him to be flown to Abuja in another aircraft without his family members.

Naija News reports that a Court had on Friday granted an interim order releasing deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi from confinement/detention.

The order was granted by Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He ordered the immediate release of dethroned Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi from confinement/detention.

However, ruling on Friday in an ex-parte motion brought before the court by Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Sanusi’s counsel, the Judge ordered the dethroned Emir to be set free.

The order, made interim, is directed at the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Attorney General of Kano State and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) – who are all named as respondents in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed on March 12, 2020 by Sanusi.