The National Judicial Council (NJC) has proposed an emergency meeting for next week, where the the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho and his counterpart in Kano State, Justice Dije Aboki, would be invited and subjected to serious investigations.
According to a statement by the Director of Information, National Judicial Council (NJC), Mr Soji Oye, the two head of courts, were to meet with the CJN today, May 30, 2024.
The statement read: “Sequel to the conflicting judgements emanating from the Federal High Court, and Kano State High Court of Justice on the chieftaincy matter in Kano State, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, has summoned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, and Chief Judge of Kano State High Court, Justice Dije Aboki for an emergency meeting in his chambers tomorrow, Thursday, May 30, 2024.
“The meeting, which is a prelude to a whole-scale investigation by the National Judicial Council, is to enable the CJN have a proper briefing on this very disturbing development by the two respective Chief Judges.”
The statement added that there was a strong indication that the “NJC will conduct an emergency meeting next week, where the subject judges are likely to be invited and subjected to serious investigations.”
Since last week, that the Kano State Government repealed the law creating four additional emirates for Kano metropolis, both the federal and Kano State high courts had been issuing orders that are at variance to the government as well as security agencies.
Justice A. M. Liman had in an exparte ordered the security agencies not to implement the new law passed by the state assembly dissolving the emirates, with the intention of halting the reinstatement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II.
However, the government had already gone ahead with the installment, claiming that the restraining order came after the installment of Sanusi, adding also that the judge who issued the order was not physically present in Kano.
They argued further that as of 5pm Friday, when the governor signed the bill dissolving the former emirates, it was not possible for the applicant to have filed the suit, made payment and also obtained an enrolled order.
But following application from the government, the Kano State High Court, presided over by Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, issued an injunction restraining the five deposed emirs from parading themselves as emirs and also asked that they vacate their respective palaces.
This order, however, ran contrary to the earlier one issued to the security agencies by Justice Liman.
Shortly after, another Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice S. A. Amobeda, issued an order for the eviction of Sanusi from the Kofar Kudu Palace, reinforcing the authority of the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.
Immediately, too, Justice Amina issued a counter order to even up with the other camp, a development that raised concerns about the state of the Kano Emirate and the escalation of its rulership tussle.
