Kano Emirate Drama: Court of Appeal Freezes Sanusi’s Reinstatement

By Achimi Muktar

In a dramatic turn of events, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has hit the brakes on the reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano. This decision, handed down on Friday by a three-member panel led by Justice Okon Abang, has intensified the ongoing legal battle over the Kano Emirate throne.

The ruling means that Sanusi, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), will have to wait for the Supreme Court's final say before reclaiming his royal seat. The appellate court found merit in two applications—CA/KN/27M/2025 and CA/KN/28M/2025—challenging Sanusi’s reinstatement, prompting the panel to put the brakes on its earlier judgment.

The Court’s Verdict: A Temporary Freeze

In its ruling, the Court of Appeal granted an injunction preventing the Kano State Government, the House of Assembly, and other involved parties from enforcing its previous decision that reinstated Sanusi. The panel directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum—essentially, to return to the state of affairs before the court battle began—until the Supreme Court makes its ruling.

Additionally, the court gave the appellant 48 hours to provide an undertaking, ensuring that if the injunction was wrongly granted, the respondents could be compensated for any damages incurred.

The Backstory: A Throne in Turmoil

The roots of this legal tug-of-war trace back to January 10, when the Court of Appeal overturned a previous ruling by Justice Abubakar Liman of the Federal High Court. That judgment had nullified the Kano State Emirates Council (Repeal) Law 2024, which was the legal foundation for Sanusi’s return to the throne.

The appellate court ruled that Justice Liman lacked the jurisdiction to invalidate the Kano State Government’s decisions based on that law. Furthermore, it dismissed the original case filed by a senior kingmaker, Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, calling it “incompetent.”

What’s Next for Sanusi?

With this latest ruling, all eyes are now on the Supreme Court, which will have the final say in this high-stakes power struggle. Will Sanusi ultimately reclaim his throne, or will his legal opponents succeed in keeping him away from the palace? One thing is certain—the battle for the Kano Emirate is far from over.

Stay tuned as this royal saga continues to unfold.