Emir Ado Bayero: Court Awards N10m Against Kano Govt.

In a suit heard on Friday, June 14, 2024, the presiding Judge Justice S. A. Amobeda ruled that the act by the Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, dehumanised the applicant and detained him to house arrest which was a contravention to the freedom of movement act as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It restrained the respondents including the Attorney General of Kano State, Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police in Kano, Department of State Services, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Airforce, and Nigerian Navy, from arresting, detaining, threatening, intimidating, harassing, or interfering with the Emir’s fundamental rights.

The judgment reads, “That, the act of the Governor of Kano State in directing the Police to arrest the Applicant without any lawful justification is a threatened breach of the fundamental right to Liberty of the Applicant guaranteed under Section 35(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).”

“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, 1999 (as altered).”