FG, Kano government dragged to UN over continuous detention of former Emir Sanusi

The Federal Government and Kano State Government have been dragged to the United Nations, after a complaint placed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over the continous detention of dethroned Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

In a letter dated 11 of March and signed by the group’s deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP maintained that the arrest and retaining of ex Emir Sanusi is an awful violation of his rights as human.

The group in the letter addressed to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, averred that the FG and Kano State government violated the rights of the dethroned Emir under the Nigerian Constitution, 1999 (as amended) and international law in continuing to deny him the right to freedom from arbitrary detention; the right to freedom of movement; and the right to due process of law.

The letter reads;

“The Human Rights Committee has interpreted his right to mean that procedures for carrying out legally authorized deprivation of liberty should also be established by law and State parties should ensure compliance with their legally prescribed procedures.

“Pursuant to the mandate of the Working Group, the “Manual of Operations of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council” and the publication “Working with the UN Human Rights Programme, a Handbook for Civil Society”, SERAP, a non-governmental human rights organization, can provide information on a specific human rights case or situation in a particular country, or on a country’s laws and practices with human rights implications.”

“As set forth in this Individual Complaint, the Nigerian and Kano State authorities are arbitrarily depriving the deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammed Sanusi II (Sanusi Lamido Sanusi) of his liberty and continues to arbitrarily detain him. Emir Sanusi is a citizen of Nigeria and has been detained since 9 March, 2020.

“SERAP therefore argues that the case adequately satisfies the requirements by which to submit an individual complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

“SERAP is therefore seeking an opinion from the Working Group finding Emir Sanusi’s continuing detention to be arbitrary and in violation of Nigeria’s Constitution and obligations under international law.

“Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was the Emir of Kano, Muhammed Sanusi II, Kano State of Nigeria until 9 March, 2020 and is a known critic of the Nigerian and Kano State authorities. He has for many years campaigned for universal access to quality education for Nigerian children and exposed political corruption and human rights violations in Nigeria.

“By a letter dated March 9, 2020, and signed by the Secretary to the Kano State Government, Usman Alhaji, the Emir of Kano, Muhammed Sanusi II was informed that he had been summarily deposed from the throne of Emir of Kano by the Kano State Government. He was accused of “total disrespect” to the governor of Kano State, Mr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, an ‘offence’, which is unknown to Nigerian and international law.

“Following his dethronement without fair hearing and due process, he was arrested and reportedly forcibly removed by Nigerian security agents. He is now being arbitrarily detained in Awe, the headquarters of Awe local government area of Nasarawa State of Nigeria.

“He was driven by Nigerian security agents for nearly seven hours in the night and arrived at about 2am in Nasarawa State. Emir Sanusi remains in arbitrary detention and without access to the outside world.

“Accordingly, it is hereby requested that the Working Group consider this Individual Complaint a formal request for an opinion of the Working Group pursuant to Resolution 1997/50 of the Commission on Human Rights, as reiterated by Resolutions 2000/36, 2003/31, and Human Rights Council Resolutions 6/4, 15/18, 20/16, and 24/7.

“SERAP respectfully requests the Working Group to initiate the procedure involving the investigation of individual cases toward reaching an opinion declaring Emir Sanusi’s detention to be arbitrary and in violation of international law. To this end, SERAP will pursue the regular communications procedure before the Working Group in order to have the ability to provide comments on any response by the Nigerian and Kano State authorities.”