An Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Justice Anwuli Chikere has declared as illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional, the banishment of the deposed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to Awe, a remote community in Nasarawa State.
The court also ordered Kano state government and other respondents in the case to a pay a sum of N10 million to the former Emir as damages.
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The court ruled that the restrictions placed on the former emir is arbitrary violation of his right to freedom of movement as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution.
Daily Telescope recalled that Sanusi was banished from Kano by the state government after his deposition on March 9, 2020, on allegations of insubordination.
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In his ruling, Justice Chikere agreed with Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, counsel to Sanusi, that the deposed Emir was moved out of Kano to Abuja and later to Awe, in Nasarawa State against his wish.
“This honourable court held that the right to freedom of liberty and personal dignity granted under Section 34 of Nigeria’s constitution cannot be taken away as done by the Kano Government, Police, Department of State Services (DSS), and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) except with express order of the court.
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“The court, therefore, voided the arrest, harassment, and banishment of Sanusi to Abuja and later to Nasarawa State and set it aside on ground of being an infringement of his fundamental human rights,” she averred.
The court also issued an order directing the respondents to tender a public apology to Sanusi to be published in two major national dailies for the embarrassment caused him by breaching his fundamental human rights.
