By ABDULLATEEF ALIYU, Lagos

A pastor conducted a prayer session for the dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, in the late hours of Friday.

Sanusi, who arrived in a chartered private jet with registration number N5500JF, spent about 30 minutes at the private terminal.

Immediately he disembarked from the aircraft and was received by his wives, children and some relatives, the entourage was led into a private meeting room at the terminal where special prayers were offered.

Senior Pastor of Trinity House Church, Lagos Ituah Ighodalo, prayed for God’s protection for him and members of his family before he left the airport at 12:17 am in a convoy of 10 vehicles

While praying, the pastor said: “When one door shuts, you open another one and what people meant for evil will always turn to good. So we thank you for the safe return of your son, our Emir, our brother, our father, our husband, our uncle.

“We thank you for keeping him, we thank you for not putting him to shame. We thank you that you are going to make something good out of this.

“We pray for Nigeria. We ask that Nigeria will change. We ask that Nigeria will accept the truth. We ask that Nigeria will be great again. Father lord, going forward, let there be good health, let there be prosperity and promote your son beyond what anybody could have ever imagined…”

Meanwhile, Sanusi declined to speak with journalists when approached to comment on his travails. As he came out from one of the private hangars at the MMIA to board a waiting black Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), reporters asked him to express his feelings after days in detention.

But he only smiled at the press and said: “No comment” as he was ushered into the waiting SUV with Lagos number plate, APP 674 FU.

Dethronement of Sanusi

Sanusi was dethroned and banished last Monday by the Kano State government for insubordination. He was first taken to Loko, a coastal town in Nasarawa Local Government Area located about 230 km from Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

Hours later, after intervention of some prominent Nigerians, he was moved to Awe town, 84 kilometres from Lafia. He had been in Awe, Nasarawa State since last Tuesday.

Court’s intervention

His lawyers contested his banishment in Court and a Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered his release from detention in Awe, Nasarawa State.

Justice Anwuli Chikere gave the interim order granting the ex parte application by Sanusi before fixing March 26 for hearing of the suit.

Justice Chikere also ordered service of the copies of the court order on the respondents in the matter which include the IGP, DG DSS Yusuf Bichi, Attorney General of Kano State, Ibrahim Mukthar and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

The ex parte application to enforce the fundamental rights of the applicant and the originating motion was on Thursday, March 12 filed by lawyers to Sanusi, Lateef Fagbemi, Professor Konyisola Ajayi and Abubakar Mahmoud, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy of Daily Trust)

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