The Court of Appeal has ordered all parties to maintain the status quo in the ongoing Kano Emirate dispute, effectively halting the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as Emir of Kano until the Supreme Court delivers its judgment.
The Emirate has been embroiled in a legal tussle following the state’s legislative actions affecting its traditional leadership. In 2024, the Kano State Government enacted the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024, which led to significant changes in the emirate’s structure, including the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
On June 20, 2024, the Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice Abubakar Liman, nullified the actions taken by the Kano State Government under the 2024 law.
Subsequently, on January 10, 2025, the Court of Appeal overturned the Federal High Court’s decision, asserting that the lower court lacked jurisdiction over chieftaincy matters, which are typically under the purview of state high courts. This appellate decision reinstated the 2024 law and, by extension, Sanusi’s position as Emir.
Dissatisfied with the appellate court’s judgment, Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, a prominent kingmaker, filed an appeal to the Supreme Court. He also sought an injunction to prevent the enforcement of the January 10 judgment pending the Supreme Court’s decision. On March 14, 2025, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Okon Abang, granted this injunction.
The court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo as it existed before the Federal High Court’s June 2024 ruling, effectively halting Sanusi’s reinstatement until the Supreme Court adjudicates the matter.
