Nigeria’s Court of Appeal has overturned a lower court’s verdict, reaffirming Muhammadu Sanusi II as the legitimate Emir of Kano. The appellate court ruled that the Federal High Court had overstepped its jurisdiction by intervening in chieftaincy matters, which fall outside its authority.
The dispute began when Aminu Babba Dan’Agundi, a member of the emirate council, challenged Sanusi’s appointment as the 16th Emir of Kano. Dan’Agundi argued that the sacking of former Emir Aminu Ado Bayero and the dissolution of the five emirates without consultation infringed on his fundamental rights.
However, the Court of Appeal held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction over chieftaincy matters, citing Section 251 of the Nigerian Constitution. The court emphasized that the principal reliefs sought by Bayero did not fall within the scope of fundamental human rights and were instead connected to chieftaincy issues.
With this judgment, Sanusi remains the legitimate ruler of the Kano throne, a position he was reinstated to by Governor Abba Yusuf on May 3, 2024
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