Justice Anwuli Chikere of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, declared that the banishment and forceful relocation to Awe in Nasarawa State of former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, was a violation of his fundamental human rights.
Justice Chikere held that the manner Sanusi was forcefully removed from the palace after his dethronement and taken by operatives of the police and State Security Service (SSS) on the directive of the Kano State government to Nasarawa State was a violation of his rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement.
The court held that the restrictions placed on Sanusi after his deposition on March 9, 2020, on allegation of insubordination was a violation of his right to freedom of movement and personal liberty granted by the Nigerian constitution.
The judge agreed with Sanusi’s counsel, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), that his client was moved out of Kano to Abuja and later to Awe in Nasarawa State against his wish.
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She further held that the right to freedom of liberty and personal dignity granted under Section 34 of Nigeria’s constitution cannot be taken away as done by the Kano State government, police, SSS and AGF except with express order of court.
The judge subsequently voided the arrest, harassment and banishment of Sanusi to Abuja and later to Nasarawa State and set it aside on ground of being infringement on his fundamental human rights.
A sum of N10 million was awarded to the former emir as damages to be paid to him by the respondents.
The court also issued an order directing the respondents to tender public apology to Sanusi to be published in two major national dailies for the embarrassment caused him in the cause of breaching his fundamental human rights.
