A High Court in Kano on Friday restrained the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, from demolishing or tempering with any structure in the emir’s palace.
Alhaji Salim Bayero had filed the suit, seeking order to stop the emir, the Emirate Council, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, from destroying some structures in the palace.
He also prayed the court to restrain the defendants from evicting occupiers of the structures pending the determination of a substantive suit on the matter.
The Judge, Justice A.T. Badamasi, in his ruling also restrained the emir and the emirate council from evicting any person residing inside the palace known as Gidan Rumfa until the determination of the substantive application.
The judge also directed that the parties should maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Badamasi adjourned hearing of the main suit till Nov. 12 for hearing.
Reacting to the ruling, counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Sanusi Sadiq, told newsmen that what the emir and the council were seeking to destroy was the graveyard where no fewer than 13 former Kano emirs were buried.
He explained that the plan to demolish the structures in the palace was capable of ‘’killing the ancient tradition which Kano emirate council was known for.
Other parties in the case are the Kano Emirate Council and the Attorney General of Kano state.
A copy of the restraining order was contained in a one-page interim injunction dated 30th October, 2015, signed by the Kano state Director of Litigation.
The order reads in parts; “That an order for interim injunction is hereby made restraining Emir Muhammadu Sanusi ll and Kano Emirate Council, the 1st and 2nd defendants in the case from demolishing and or tampering with any structure in the Kano emir’s palace (Gidan Rumfa) by virtue of being ‘Yan Fulani or Bayin Sarki pending the determination of the substantive application.”
According to the statement of claim with suit number K/386/2015, the plaintiff is a grandson of the 10th emir of Kano, late Sarki Abdullahi Bayero.
The plaintiff claimed that the emir was bent on demolishing and destroying some structures at Ka’iya and Kachako sections as well as the graveyard of some past emirs of Kano located within the palace.
He told the court that the purpose for the demolition was to build offices for district heads, arguing that such action has never happen in the history of Kano where district heads have their offices within the palace.
Abubakar further informed the court that quit notices had already been issued to some occupants of the marked sections by the emir.
The presiding Judge, Justice A.T Badamasi has slated the case for November 12, 2015 for hearing of the motion on notice.
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