The Federal High Court in Kano on Friday ordered the Kano State Government to pay the dethroned Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, N10 million for breaching his fundamental rights, personal liberty, and freedom of movement.
Justice Simon Amobeda, who presided over the case, ruled that it was wrong for the Kano State Governor to order Bayero’s arrest without lawful justification. This order had forced Bayero into house arrest out of fear of being arrested. The court granted Bayero his rights of movement and freedom to civil liberty.
Governor Abba Yusuf had ordered Bayero’s arrest on May 25, following his return to Kano two days after being dethroned. The governor claimed that Bayero returned to claim the palace and was creating unrest in the state.
Bayero then filed a lawsuit, No: EHC/KN/CN/190/2024, seeking to protect his fundamental rights. The respondents in the case included the Attorney General of the Federation, the Attorney General of Kano State, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, Kano Command, the State Security Service, the NSCDC, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, and the Nigerian Air Force.
On Friday, the court restrained the Attorney General of Kano State, the police, the Inspector General of Police, and the Commissioner of Police from arresting, detaining, or harassing Bayero or further interfering with his fundamental rights.
Justice Amobeda stated, “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). 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, constitutes 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, 1999 (as altered).”
He continued, “The 2nd respondent (Kano State Attorney General) and the Government of Kano State shall pay to the applicant (Bayero) 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).”
The court, however, refused the request for the cost of filing and prosecuting the suit, stating that the amount had not been specifically pleaded and strictly proved.
