By Milcah Tanimu
Lack of service of court processes on Tuesday stalled the hearing in the Kano emirship tussle instituted by the Kano State Government at the state high court. The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, was unable to serve court papers to the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, and four others.
The applicants in the matter are the Attorney General of Kano State, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, and the Kano State House of Assembly. Counsel for the applicants, Ibrahim Isah-Wangida, filed a motion ex parte on May 27, 2024, seeking to restrain Aminu Ado-Bayero and the dethroned emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye from parading themselves as emirs.
Respondents include Alhaji Aminu Ado-Bayero (Kano), Alhaji Nasiru Ado-Bayero (Bichi), Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar II (Karaye), Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad-Inuwa (Rano), and Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim-Gaya (Gaya). Other respondents are the Inspector-General of Police, Director of the State Security Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Nigeria Army.
When the case came up for hearing, counsel for the Inspector-General of Police, Abdulsalam Saleh, informed the court that attempts to serve the first to fifth respondents had failed due to a federal court order restraining the police from arresting, intimidating, or harassing the respondents.
Counsel for the applicants, Eyitayo Fatogun (SAN), requested another date to file necessary applications for service on the respondents. Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu held that the order preventing arrest or intimidation should not hinder the service of court papers and adjourned the matter to June 24 for the hearing of the motion on notice.
The court had previously granted an interim injunction on May 27, restraining the respondents from parading themselves as emirs to maintain peace in Kano. The house of assembly had repealed the law creating the four new emirates, and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf reinstated Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.
Aminu Ado-Bayero returned to Kano on May 25 and has been holding court at the Nasarawa mini palace since then.