Moses Ofodeme
Deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi has accused the Federal Government of complicity in his detention.
Sanusi, who said he was denied fair hearing in the process leading to his deposition; claimed his arrest order, banishment from Kano and subsequent detention in Awe, Nasarawa State, came from Abuja.
He accused the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, as well as the Attorney General of Kano State, Ibrahim Muktar; of issuing the instructions to the Department of State Services and the Police to detain him.
This was disclosed in the suit filed by Sanusi on Thursday to challenge his detention and confinement in Awe.
In the suit, Sanusi decried the manner in which he was treated in the course of his dethronement.
He revealed that he was harassed out of the palace without getting a chance to pack his personal effects.
In addition, he stated that upon his dethronement; an unnamed friend of his sent an aircraft to Kano to convey him and his family to Lagos.
However, he revealed that the Kano State Commissioner of Police ordered him to be flown to Abuja instead; in another aircraft without his family members.
The former Central Bank Governor, who has had a frosty relationship with Governor Umar Ganduje since 2017; was sent packing by the state government on Monday for insubordination; as well as “total disrespect for lawful instructions from the office of the state government”.
Further, it cited Sanusi’s alleged refusal to attend official meetings and programmes organised by the government; without any lawful justification.
A Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Anwuli Chikere, had on Friday; ordered the immediate release of Sanusi from house arrest.
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.
The respondents to which the court order was directed are, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Director-General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi; Muktar; and Malami.
Justice Chkere ordered that the order for the release of the applicant and the processes filed in the suit should be served on the respondents through any officer in their offices.
The judge adjourned till March 26 for the hearing of the main suit.
