Two courts in Kano State have issued opposing interim injunctions concerning the Kano Emirate dispute. Justice S. A. Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Kano on Tuesday ordered the eviction of the reinstated emir, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, from the Gidan Rumfa palace. Meanwhile, Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu of Kano State High Court issued a separate order preventing the police, the State Security Services (SSS), and the Nigerian Army from evicting, harassing, or arresting Sanusi.
Sanusi and the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, are embroiled in a conflict over the royal throne, causing protests from their supporters in Kano.
Reacting to this situation, Maikyau, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), expressed his dismay over the conduct of the counsel and judges involved in these cases in a statement on Wednesday. He emphasized the urgent need to review the professional conduct of both the counsel and judges involved.
The NBA President urged the respective heads of the courts to investigate the judges’ conduct and report their findings to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for necessary action.
He stated, “I must say, without any equivocation, that the actions of counsel and the Courts in handling the proceedings that led to the orders from the Federal High Court, the Kano State High Court, and again the Federal High Court, in sequence, have brought disgrace and shame to the profession, exposing the legal profession in Nigeria to public ridicule and disapproval.
“The damage inflicted on the legal profession will take a long time to recover from. It is unfortunate and entirely unnecessary. For a country whose legal resources and expertise have positively impacted not only the African continent but also the world, it is unacceptable that our court processes would be misused in this manner over a straightforward chieftaincy dispute.
“This issue has been thoroughly addressed by legislation and case law, leaving no ambiguity regarding the jurisprudence on both procedural and substantive matters.
“Without prejudice to the ongoing actions before the Federal High Court and the Kano State High Court, I believe there is an urgent need to scrutinize the professional conduct of both the Counsel and the Judges involved in these matters. This scrutiny will enable the relevant bodies to determine their culpability or otherwise from an ethical and professional perspective.
“I therefore call on the respective heads of the Courts of the concerned Judges to promptly investigate their conduct to identify any potential abuse of their judicial offices and report their findings to the National Judicial Council for necessary action. The NBA will also investigate the conduct of the counsel involved and will not hesitate to commence disciplinary action against them before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee if any professional misconduct is found. The Chairman of the NBA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee has been directed to invite these counsel for preliminary investigations.
“While the NBA will continue to uphold the integrity, welfare, and independence of the Bar and the Judiciary, we will not hesitate to call out any Judge or counsel who engages in conduct that tarnishes the legal profession’s reputation.”