Nigerian court orders release of deposed traditional ruler
ABUJA: A Nigerian court on Friday ordered the release of a revered Islamic traditional ruler from detention after he was deposed and banished in a controversial practice dating back to colonial times.
Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano, northern Nigeria´s largest city, was abruptly removed from office on Monday by state governor Abdullahi Ganduje for "disrespect" and "insubordination".
Sanusi, 58, was banished under tight security to a small town in another state, in a tactic similar to that used by British imperial officials to punish rebellious leaders during the colonial period. The move to hold him in exile sparked outcry from human rights activists and was challenged in court by Sanusi´s lawyer.
At the hearing on Friday, Judge Anwuli Chikere of the federal high court in Abuja ordered that the deposed emir be released and allowed to move about freely. "An interim order is hereby made releasing the applicant from the detention," she said.
The judge ordered the authorities to restore Sanusi´s "rights to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria, pending the hearing and determination of the applicant´s originating summons".
The case was adjourned to March 26 for another hearing. By tradition, the Kano emir is the second most senior Islamic ruler in Africa´s most populous nation, after the sultan of Sokoto.
Emirs have no constitutional role in Nigeria, but they wield enormous influence over their subjects. Sanusi, a former central bank chief who ascended the throne in 2014, has been an outspoken critic of political and religious leaders in his mainly-Muslim northern Nigeria, drawing flak of the authorities.
He had been at loggerheads with state governor Ganduje because of his criticism of the authorities and allegations he supported the opposition at elections last year. The Kano State government named Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the son of a former emir, as the new traditional ruler of Kano hours after dethroning Sanusi.
-
Pentagon Threatens To Cut Ties With Anthropic Over AI Safeguards Dispute -
Meghan Markle's Father Shares Fresh Health Update -
Travis Kelce Takes Hilarious Jab At Taylor Swift In Valentine’s Day Post -
NASA Confirms Arrival Of SpaceX Crew-12 Astronauts At The International Space Station -
Can AI Bully Humans? Bot Publicly Criticises Engineer After Code Rejection -
Search For Savannah Guthrie’s Abducted Mom Enters Unthinkable Phase -
Imagine Dragons Star, Dan Reynolds Recalls 'frustrating' Diagnosis -
Steve Jobs Once Called Google Over Single Shade Of Yellow: Here’s Why -
Barack Obama Addresses UFO Mystery: Aliens Are ‘real’ But Debunks Area 51 Conspiracy Theories -
Selma Blair Explains Why Multiple Sclerosis 'isn't So Scary' -
Will Smith Surprises Wife Jada Pinkett With Unusual Gift On Valentine's Day -
Shamed Andrew Has Paid Royal Favours With ‘national Scandal’ -
Prince William Ticked Off By How Andrew ‘behaved With Staff’ -
Prince William Questions Himself ‘what’s The Point’ After Saudi Trip -
James Van Der Beek's Friends Helped Fund Ranch Purchase Before His Death At 48 -
King Charles ‘very Much’ Wants Andrew To Testify At US Congress