Justice Anwuli Chikere, who gave the interim order in a ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by Sanusi through his lawyer, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), ordered on Friday that the fundamental rights of the deposed emir to freedom of movement and human dignity breached by the Kano State government through banishment and detention must be restored to him immediately.
Justice Chikere agreed that since the former Emir has no pending criminal charge or valid order for his detention, placing him under house arrest under whatever guise is a clear breach of his fundamental rights as guaranteed under the 1999 constitution.
The court, in addition, ordered the service of the originating summons on the respondents through substituted means within five days.
Respondents in the suit are the Kano State government, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS).
Sanusi has been under house arrest since Monday in Awe town in Nasarawa State, where he was banished to, after his dethronement as Emir of Kano.
In the fundamental human rights suit, Sanusi is seeking the nullification of his banishment from Kano to Nasarawa State, which according to him, is unlawful and a violation of his fundamental human rights.
Sanusi, through his lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), is praying the court to free him from detention and confinement.
In the suit brought pursuant to section 34, 35, 40, 41 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution and Order 4 Rule 4 of the Federal High Court, the former Emir, who is not challenging his dethronement, wants the court to restore his right to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria.
In the suit with no: FHC/ABJ/ CS/357/2020, the former Emir of Kano, is asking the court to declare his banishment to Nasarawa State and detention as illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.
Sanusi was on Monday, March 9, 2020, dethroned as Emir of Kano by the state government.
Among others, Sanusi was accused of disrespect to authorities of Kano State government, disloyalty and absence from meetings without cogent reasons
Shortly after his dethronement, he was forced out of the palace and taken to Loko village in Nasarawa State from where he was later moved to Awe town where he is currently.
