The banishment of former emir of Kano State, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, from the state has been nullified by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Mr Sanusi was chased out to Awe in Nasarawa State last year after governor Umar Ganduje dethroned him over insubordination.
Justice Anwuli Chikere, in a judgment on Tuesday, 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 against his will was a vicious violation of his rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement.
Justice Chikere, who declared as a nullity, the Emirate Council Law 2019 under which the Kano State Government claimed to have acted, held that as a citizen of Nigeria, who has committed no offence, Sanusi was entitled to reside in any part of the country.
The judge, who awarded N10 million damages against the Kano State Government, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the SSS, also ordered them to offer public apology to Sanusi in at least, two national dailies.
Although the Attorney Genera of the Federation (AGF) was sued as the fourth respondent, Justice Chikere excluded the AGF from the suit on the grounds that the applicant failed to establish his case against the fourth respondent.
