Court Fines Kano Govt N10m for Breaching Deposed Emir Bayero’s Rights

Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano.

Federal High Court sitting in Kano has fined Kano State Government N10 million for breaching the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Bayero’s fundamental human right.

In the case with suit number FHC/KN/CS/190/2024, in which the deposed Emir Bayero is the applicant, the ten respondents in the case include the Attorney General of the Federation, Attorney General of Kano, Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Kano state and Department of State Services.

Delivering judgment on Friday, in the case instituted by Aminu Bayero seeking the enforcement of his fundamental human rights, the presiding judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, described the order given by Governor Abba Yusuf for the arrest of Bayero as unlawful.

The court ruled that the act of the Kano state Governor ordering the police to arrest the 15th Emir of Kano “is a threatened breach of his fundamental right to liberty”, sighting section 35(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“That the act of the Governor of Kano state in directing the police to arrest the applicant without any lawful justification, which directive has forced the applicant into house arrest, preventing him from going freely about his lawful business, constitute a flagrant violation of his fundamental right to freedom of movement as guaranteed under section 41(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” part of the certified copy of the judgement states.

“That the 2nd respondent and the government of Kano state shall pay to the applicant the sum of N10,000,000:00 (ten million naira) only for the breach and likely breach of the applicant’s fundamental rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement guaranteed under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”…

“The prayer for the cost of filing and prosecuting this suit is refused, the amount having not been specifically pleaded and strictly proved,” Justice Amobeda ordered.

However, the court restrained the respondents from arresting, detaining or harassing the deposed Emir Aminu Bayero, or further interfering with his fundamental human rights.

“That the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Respondents are either by themselves, their agents, servants, privies, or any other person or authority forthwith restrained from arresting, detaining, threatening, intimidating, harassing the Applicant or further interfering with the Applicant’s fundamental rights,” the judge ordered.