JUST-IN: Appeal Court Halts Enforcement of Kano Emirship Ruling, Maintains Status Quo
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has temporarily halted the enforcement of its January 10 ruling, which upheld the Kano State government’s decision to repeal the 2019 Emirates Council Law. This decision will remain in place pending the Supreme Court’s determination of an appeal on the same matter.
The ruling, delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Okon Abang on Friday, granted a stay of execution, effectively preserving the status quo in the ongoing legal battle over the Kano Emirate.
Earlier, the appellate court had overturned a June 20, 2024 ruling by Justice Abubakar Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano. The Federal High Court had declared the Kano State government’s dissolution of five emirates in the state and the subsequent reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano as unlawful. The Court of Appeal had ruled that the lower court lacked jurisdiction over the matter, which pertains to chieftaincy issues under the exclusive jurisdiction of State High Courts.
In response to this, Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi (Sarkin Dawaki Babba) filed an injunction request in suits CA/KN/27M/2025 and CA/KN/28M/2025, seeking to restrain the enforcement of the appellate court’s judgment. The suit was filed against the Kano State Government, the Speaker of the State Assembly, the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other security agencies.
The Court of Appeal, in its unanimous decision, granted the injunction, agreeing that the application had merit. Justice Abang stated, “The law is settled. The court is enjoined to exercise its discretion judiciously and in the interest of justice.”
The ruling ordered that all parties maintain the “status quo ante bellum,” meaning that the situation should remain as it was before the Federal High Court’s judgment on June 13, 2024. Justice Abang further emphasized that the applicant, having served as Emir for five years before his removal, had legal rights that needed protection until the Supreme Court makes its final decision.
Additionally, the court instructed the applicant to file an undertaking within 14 days to indemnify the respondents for any potential damages should the injunction later be deemed unnecessary.
The legal dispute over the Kano Emirate continues, with the Supreme Court now set to make a final determination. The case will decide whether the Kano State government’s decision to dissolve the emirates and reinstate Emir Sanusi II will stand or be overturned.
