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Royal rumble: Sanusi, Bayero to know fate as Court fixes June 13 to rule on jurisdiction
The Federal High Court sitting in Kano has fixed 13th June, 2024 to rule on whether it has jurisdiction or not to entertain the Kano Emirate tussle.
The court, presided over by Justice Abdullahi M. Liman adjourned to rule on the matter following a heated argument between counsels in the matter.
The applicant, Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano Emirate, Aminu Babba Dan’Agundi had approached the Court seeking his fundamental human rights and that the court should restrain the respondents from enforcing, implementing and operationalizing the repealed law.
The respondents in the suit are Kano State Government as 1st respondent, Kano State House of Assembly (2nd), Speaker of Kano State House of Assembly (3rd), Attorney General of Kano State (4th), Kano Commissioner of Police (5th), Inspector General of Police, IGP (6th), NSCDC and DSS as 7th and 8th respondents respectively.
At the resumed hearing on Thursday, counsel to the applicant, M. S Waziri told the court that they have filed a written address dated June 6th, 2024.
“On the issue of jurisdiction, in compliance with the order of the court, we have filed a written address dated 6th June, 2024 and hereby adopt same and maintain that the court has jurisdiction to entertain the matter so long that it has issue of fundamental human rights.
“The applicant as a member of Kano emirate Kingmakers ought to have been involved in the reinstatement of the new emir.
“My lord, breach of fundamental rights has no timeline. I urge the court to proceed with the case,” Waziri said.
Responding, counsel to the 1st and 4th respondents, Mahmoud Abubakar Magaji
SAN urged the court to decline the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
He argued that the law has gone through legislative processes, first, second and third reading and the order came only after the action was done and his client was only served on a Monday of the following week.
He therefore urged the court to decline to entertain the matter on the issue of jurisdiction.
“We filed a written address dated June 3 and filed June 6. In the constitution, only the Kano State House of Assembly has the authority and power to make law.
“The applicant is neither a member of the House of Assembly or the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs. The applicant may not need to be consulted.”
On his part, counsel to the 2nd and 3rd respondents, Ibrahim Isah Wangida aligned himself with the submission of the 1st and 4th respondents arguing that the applicant cannot claim his rights was breached as the 2024 law was repealed and accented to before the applicant filed action.
“The 2019 Kano emirate council law which gave the power to the applicant at the time of filing his action was abolished so he ceased to be a kingmaker as of the time he filed the action because the governor has already accented to the law.”
Earlier, counsel to the 5th and 6th respondents, Sunday Ekwe told the court that they did not file any issue on jurisdiction because the duty of the police is to maintain peace and wait to carry out order of the Court.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Liman however, adjourned the matter to 13th June, 2024 for ruling on jurisdiction.
The court proceeding was held amidst tight security of personnel which comprises of Police and DSS with their vehicles stationed to mount road block on the road leading to the court premises.
Bandits have killed a monarch,his wife, his son, and three other residents in a deadly night attack on Olegabulu community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Residents said the attack happened on Thursday night when the armed men, numbering about four and arriving on two motorcycles, stormed the palace of the monarch and opened fire on him and his family members.
According to a resident who requested anonymity, the attackers entered the community without raising suspicion, reportedly exchanging greetings with locals in the native dialect before heading straight to the royal residence. Once inside, they opened fire, killing the traditional ruler, his wife, and his son on the spot.
The attackers were said to have spent about 20 minutes in the community. After the assault on the palace, they reportedly moved to a nearby compound where they killed two additional residents and left another person injured before fleeing the scene.
Eyewitnesses described the incident as coordinated and deceptive, noting that the gunmen initially blended in with residents before launching the attack.
The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin Ejeh, confirmed the incident, stating that five people were killed and one person sustained injuries.
He added that security operatives, including police personnel, have since visited the scene.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in Benue State, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to receive full details of the attack at the time of filing this report.
Proceedings in the case involving former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, were on Thursday adjourned till May 6, 2026, by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, represented the prosecution, while Bello was represented by his lead counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu.
During proceedings, the prosecution informed the court of the need for more time to respond to applications filed by the defence, while Bello’s legal team urged the court to consider their submissions and move the matter forward.
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, adjourned the case to May 6 to allow all parties to adequately prepare and ensure a fair hearing.
Mr Bello is currently facing charges bordering on alleged financial misappropriation during his tenure as governor, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
Nigeria is set to experience one of the highest increases in food insecurity worldwide in 2026, according to the latest Global Report on Food Crises released on April 24, 2026.
The report, compiled by agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme, raised fresh concerns over worsening hunger levels driven by insecurity, economic hardship and declining humanitarian funding.
According to FAO findings, about 4.1 million additional Nigerians could fall into acute food insecurity in 2026, placing the country among those with the largest increases globally.
Reacting to the development, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Mr Alvaro Lario, said “the crisis is becoming more prolonged and difficult to contain”.
“We are no longer seeing just temporary shocks, but persistent shocks over time,” warning that the situation is placing growing pressure on global stability.
FAO noted that about 266 million people across 47 countries face high levels of acute hunger in 2025, with conditions expected to remain severe into 2026.
In Nigeria, the situation is being worsened by continued insecurity in key farming regions, rising inflation and limited access to food.
According FAO projections, over 34 million Nigerians may experience crisis level hunger between June and August 2026, during the peak of the lean season.
The FAO Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr Hussein Gadain, said the combined impact of armed conflict, climate shocks, high food prices and cuts in global aid funding is pushing more Nigerians into hunger.
The report called for urgent and sustained intervention, warning that without immediate action, millions more could slide into emergency levels of food insecurity in the coming months.
BREAKING: Benue boils again as bandits invade palace, kill monarch ,wife, son three others
Yahaya Bello to know fate on May 6 as Court adjourns financial infractions case
Nigeria set to record largest surge in food insecurity globally in 2026-Reports
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