The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ordered a fresh hearing in the legal dispute over the Kano Emirate between Ado Bayero and Mohammed Sanusi.
A three-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Mustapha nullified the lower court’s judgment of 15 July, citing a breach of the appellants’ right to a fair hearing.
The court found that Bayero was unfairly denied a chance to present his case as the Kano High Court proceeded without serving him a hearing notice.
Justice Mustapha stressed that courts must ensure justice by granting all parties equal opportunities to be heard.
The appellate court also criticised the lower court for failing to notify Sanusi to submit his grievances before delivering its judgment.
The panel described the proceedings as “shoddy” and a “travesty of justice,” ordering the case to be reassigned by the Chief Judge of Kano State for a swift retrial.
Additionally, the court upheld Bayero’s appeal on fair hearing, noting his rights were violated when the High Court continued proceedings after his lawyer withdrew on July 4, 2024 without proper notice to him.
The appellate court concluded that fair hearing supersedes all other considerations, rendering further issues raised in the appeal unnecessary to address.
