Deposed Emir of Kano, Mr Muhammdu Sanusi, removed on Monday March 9 by Kano State Government and banished to Nasarawa state regained his freedom yesterday following an order of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

Mr Anwuli Chikere, while delivering a ruling in an ex-parte application the dethroned Emir filed through his team of lawyers led by Mr Lateef Fagbemi, held that Sanusi was entitled to his constitutionally guaranteed rights to personal liberty and movement.

Governor of Kaduna State, Mr Nasir El-Rufa’i had visited him earlier yesterday as a mark of solidarity. He had honoured Sanusi with two appointments after the dethronement apparently to rubbish the actions of his Kano State counterpart who masterminded Sanusi’s controversial dethronement.

El-Rufai’s convoy arrived the residence of the dethroned Emir at about 12:45 pm and went into a closed door meeting with him for over an hour.

The Kaduna state governor and the deposed Emir declined comments to newsmen after the meeting as they drove straight to the mosque located at the Palace of the Emir of Awe.

Moments after securing the court order, Sanusi, accompanied by Kaduna state governor, left Awe, Nasarawa State where he had been banished  after his dethronement for Abuja en-route Lagos.

Mother of Muhammadu Sanusi had also visited her son before departing Awe. Dressed in a red gown, the former emir’s mother was accompanied by two ladies. Shortly after meeting with her son, Sanusi departed the town in the company of El-Rufai.

A statement by Kaduna State Government said El-Rufai visited “his long time friend, ideological soul mate and confidante as a mark of solidarity over his temporary travails at Awe town.”

El-Rufai was quoted as  saying that Sanusi was on his way to Lagos.

The statement, signed by Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the governor, said “the governor who drove from Abuja to Awe town, met His Highness in high spirits, demonstrating his usual calm, poise and regal bearing amidst what has befallen him in the last four days. His Highness seems to have taken all that happened in his stride but has reiterated his commitment to enforce his fundamental human rights”.

According to the special adviser,  El-Rufai arrived Awe town shortly before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had granted an interim order, releasing Sanusi from detention.

Adekeye said the two men later drove to the mosque where Sanusi led the jumma’at prayer as hundreds of well-wishers lined up the road of Awe to hail the former emir on his way to the mosque and back to his residence.

The statement further said the duo rode in El Rufai’s car to Abuja, from where Sanusi would proceed to Lagos where his family was already awaiting his arrival.

Sanusi was initially banished to Loko village in Nasarawa State after his dethronement, but later moved to Awe town.

Though the dethroned Emir had since accepted his fate as the will of God, he however went to court to challenge the legality of his confinement in Nasarawa state.

Sanusi leads Jumat prayer

While leading the Friday’s Jumat prayers at the central mosque located at the Palace of the Emir of Awe, Sanusi admonished Muslim faithful to always obey God and accept Allah’s  judgement in whatever happens.

He said, “whatever happens to anyone of us is destined by God; if not there is no way it would come to pass”.

While tasking Nigerians to continue to pray for peace and progress of the country at large, Sanusi also urged Muslims to fear God in all their activities, reminding them that every one of them must give account of his or her deeds hereafter. He tasked Nigerians to rise to the challenges confronting the nation in order to have a better society for the generation unborn.

Court orders his release

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, had also ordered that the dethroned Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, should be granted his freedom.

The court, in a ruling by Mr Anwuli Chikere, held that Sanusi, deposed as Emir by Kano State government last Monday and forcefully taken to Awe in Nasarawa State where he was confined, was entitled to his constitutionally guaranteed rights to personal liberty and movement.

The ruling followed an ex-parte application the dethroned Emir filed through his team of lawyers led by Fagbemi on Thursday.

Cited as respondents in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/357/2020, are Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of the Department of State Service, Attorney-General of Kano State and Attorney-General of the Federation.

Meanwhile, Chikere fixed March 26 to hear Sanusi’s substantive suit against the Respondents.

The the dethroned Emir had on Thursday, approached the court to enforce his fundamental human rights.

He specifically prayed the court to order his release from “the detention and or confinement of the respondents and restoring the applicant’s rights to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria, (apart from Kano State) pending the hearing and determination of the applicant’s originating summons.”

The Applicant anchored his request on section 34, 35, 40, 41 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Order 4 Rule 4 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules.

He also sought  an order granting him leave to effect service of the court order alongside the originating motion and subsequent processes on all the Respondents, through substituted means, by allowing the processes to be delivered to any officer in the office of the Respondents.

In the alternative, Sanusi sought  leave to publish the processes in at least one national newspaper.

He said: “Considering the status of the Respondents, it would be difficult to effect personal service on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents, unless this application is granted.

“1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents will have knowledge of the originating motion for the enforcement of the Applicant’s fundamental right, if they are served by substituted means as stated on the motion paper.

“Applicant’s fundamental right to life, human dignity, personal liberty and movement are seriously under challenge and continually being breached by the Respondents.

“Exceptional hardship shall be caused to the Applicant before the service and hearing of the originating motion for the enforcement of his fundamental right.

“That 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents would not be prejudiced if this application is granted and it is in the interest of Justice to grant this application”, he added.

Enroute Abuja, Sanusi landed at Lagos airport late last night.

Vanguard