Kano Palace Crisis Deepens: Emir Sanusi II, Top Officials Dragged to Court Over Forced Evictions and Property Demolitions

A fresh chapter has opened in the ongoing Kano emirate saga as nine senior palace officials have dragged the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, along with 12 other individuals, before a Kano High Court. The lawsuit, which revolves around allegations of unlawful eviction and the demolition of ancestral homes within the historic palace grounds, underscores the escalating tensions within the emirate.

Filed under suit number K/M1607/2025 at the Bichi Judicial Division of the Kano State High Court, the case is being presided over by Justice Musa Ahmad. The plaintiffs, led by Usman Dako, the Galadiman Sallama, include a cohort of palace titleholders and servants who allege that their eviction was politically motivated.

Their grievance is centered on accusations that the current Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and the Kano Emirate Council, orchestrated their displacement as retribution for their unwavering loyalty to the deposed Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero. This power tussle, emblematic of the broader Kano traditional institution’s challenges, has further polarized the emirate.

In addition to Emir Sanusi II and the emirate council, the lawsuit names several high-profile entities and individuals, including the Inspector General of Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and several palace dignitaries, as respondents.

Responding to the case, the court has issued an order compelling all parties involved to maintain the status quo ante—essentially preserving the existing state of affairs pending the court’s final determination. Moreover, the court authorized substituted service of legal documents, instructing that these be served via the Emirate Council Secretariat in Kano and through courier services for those respondents residing in Abuja.

In a widely circulated video on social media, Usman Dako gave a personal account of his ordeal. He recounted that palace informants warned him that the Emir had allegedly ordered the expulsion of all individuals perceived as supporters of Aminu Ado Bayero. Dako narrated:

“I was not around when my wife called me to say that some hoodlums were tearing down our home. By the time I returned, the house was in a devastating condition.”

He further disclosed that the property under dispute held deep familial and historical significance. According to him, the late Emir Ado Bayero had gifted the house to his father, making it both an inheritance and a symbol of longstanding palace ties.

“My father was born within the palace, and so was I. I don’t understand why we are being targeted just because we remain loyal to Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, especially when his father always treated us kindly,” Dako lamented.

Despite the eviction and demolition of his residence, Dako remained resolute, openly reaffirming his allegiance to Aminu Ado Bayero, who was controversially dethroned amidst political undercurrents in Kano State.

As of the time this report was compiled, neither Emir Sanusi II nor the Kano Emirate Council has made any official statement or provided clarification regarding these serious allegations and the unfolding legal battle.

The Kano emirate’s internal crisis continues to unravel, with many observers closely monitoring the case for its potential impact on the revered but politically entangled traditional institution in northern Nigeria.