Sanusi finally leaves exile, heads to Abuja

The deposed emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has finally left Awe, a town in Nasarawa where he was banished to after his dethronement. A federal high court in Abuja had ordered the immediate release of the former monarch and his long time friend and governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-rufai was happy to pick him up. On Thursday, Lateef Fagbemi, a senior advocate of Nigeria, filed an exparte motion for the release of Muhammad Sanusi II from confinement in Awe.

Fagbemi prayed that the court order Sanusi’s release from “the detention and or confinement of the respondents and to restore his rights to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria, (apart from Kano State) pending the hearing and determination of the applicant’s originating summons.” Anwuli Chikere, the presiding judge, granted the prayers of Sanusi’s counsel, stating that the order for the release of the deposed emir be served the respondents to the application.

Sanusi is expected to fly to Lagos from Abuja where most of his family is based.