A Federal High Court in Kano has ruled that the Kano State Government pay the sum of N10 million as compensation for breaching the fundamental human rights of the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Bayero.
The presiding judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, delivered the judgment in the case initiated by Aminu Bayero seeking the enforcement of his fundamental human rights.
Justice Amobeda described Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf’s order for the arrest of Aminu Bayero as unlawful, forcing the applicant into house arrest out of fear of being arrested.
The respondents in the suit include the Attorney General of the Federation, the Attorney General of Kano State, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Kano, the DSS, NSCDC, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Airforce, and the Nigerian Navy.
The judge restrained the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th respondents from arresting, detaining, threatening, intimidating, harassing the applicant or further interfering with his fundamental rights.
Quoting from the judgment, “That, the act of the Governor of Kano State in directing the Police to arrest the Applicant without any lawful justification is a threatened breach of the fundamental right to Liberty of the Applicant guaranteed under Section 35(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).”
Furthermore, the judge ordered, “That the 2nd Respondent and the Government of Kano State shall pay to the Applicant the sum of N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) only for the breach and likely breach of the Applicants fundamental rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).”
