Rushed Proceedings & Signature Discrepancies Cast Doubt On Justice Liman’s Kano Emirate Injunction

A recent injunction issued by Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano, restraining the Kano State Government from reinstating Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano, has raised eyebrows due to the judge’s alleged absence from the country when the ruling was made

Jaafar Jaafar, the publisher of Daily Nigerian who exposed a bribery video of Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje in 2018, has been living in the United Kingdom since 2021 due to alleged threats to his life.

Speaking shortly after issuing the reinstatement letter to Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II at Africa House, Kano State Government House, on Friday, Kano State Governor Nasiru Yusuf said, “The person that issued the court order was in America but he is ordering us to stop what we are doing. This issue of abuse I must present before the Governor’s Forum so that we can tackle it accordingly.”

TheNigeriaLawyer’s efforts to speak with court registrar regarding the unusual circumstances surrounding the ruling and the reason why he is in the US, whether on holiday or leave, have been unsuccessful. However, a source working with the judges revealed that judges often leave their signatures with trusted registrars, who can then affix the signature to orders once the judge reviews them remotely.

Our correspondent further pressed to know why the ex parte application was filed, assigned, heard, moved, and granted on the same day, May 23rd. The Certificate of True Copy (CTC) was also applied for and obtained on the same day. The source simply stated that this indicated the matter’s urgency.

Recall that Chidi Odinkalu, a prominent Nigerian human rights activist, said the Federal High Court has assumed jurisdiction over a Chieftaincy matter in Kano State, which he described as unconstitutional. He stated that the corruption is “evident on the face of the order.”

Odinkalu accused the judge of not relying on law or evidence, but rather using “magic” to reach his decisions.