KANO STATE JUDICIARY
The Kano State Judiciary came into being in the year 1967 after creation of the state out of the former Northern Region of Nigeria by the then Military Administration of General Yakubu Gowon. Before then it was High Court of Justice of Northern Nigeria, Kano Judicial Division with two resident judges Hon Mr. Justice Holden and Hon. Justice Wheeler. Hon. Justice A.B. Wali had earlier been appointed Acting Chief Registrar/Commissioner for Area Courts. He was the first to be appointed a (Kadi) Sharia Court of Appeal/Judge very much later Hon. Hamza Mohammed was elevated to the Sharia Court of Appeal Bench as well. When Justice Abubakar Bashir Wali clocked tens at the Bar, he was appointed the first Nigerian Judge of the Kano State High Court. In 1976 he was seconded to the Executive Branch and become the second Attorney-General of the State. As years passed by and there were more cases in the Courts, so were more High Court Judges appointed. Later, the office of the Chief Registrar was separated from that of the Commissioner for Area Courts.
Hon. Justice J.R. Jones was appointed the first Chief Justice which title was later changed to Chief Judge, of Kano State. Among the High Court Judges that served on to the Bench were notably Honourable Justices Umar Kalgo, Umaru Maidamma, Layiola Nwaueze and Fernandez. Kano State was also the first to appointment a woman as a High Court Judge in Northern Nigeria in person of Justice Alloma Mukhtar she has since been promoted to the Court of Appeal.
Justice Jones retired in 1979 at the advent of the civilian administration the first indigenous Chief Judge in the person of Honourable Justice Dahiru Mustapha was appointed. During his tenure, the new High court Building Complex along Sabo Bakin Zuwo Raod was completed and occupied by all the Judges.
After the departure of Justice Dahiru Mustapha on elevation to the Court of Appeal, another indigene of Kano State in the person of Justice Saleh Umar Minjibir became the Chief Judge in 1985. The number of High Court Judges rose to (15) while the Area Courts increased to (110) and the establishment of Magistrate’s Courts in most of the Local Government Headquarters.
Hon. Justice Saleh Umar Minjibir first celebrated the legal year in September 1989, and that Legal tradition continued up to the present time. The Chief Judge. Hon. Justice Saleh Umar Minjibir retired on 31st March, 2001 and Hon. Justice Saka Yusuf was appointed Acting Chief Judge.
In June 2001, Hon. Justice Sanusi Chiroma Yusuf was appointed Chief Judge of Kano State. Apart from the Hon. Chief Judge, there are now fifteen other Judges of the High Court of Kano State, both at the Audu Bako Secretariat High Court Complex and High Court Complex Miller Road, Bompai. The general policies initiated and formulated by the Honourable Chief Judge are implemented at all levels of the High Court through the Chief Registrar and his assistants. The Magistrates Courts have Criminal and Civil Jurisdictions, which are exercised in line with the Provision of the Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Magistrates Court Law of 1987. There are forty-two Magistrate Courts in the State and spread through all the forty-four local government areas of Kano State.
In addition to the constitutional provision establishing it, the Kano State High Court is also empowered by the High Court Law (CAP .57) Laws of Kano State as amended in 1991 and 2003. The State High Court adjudicates in all matters involving citizens government ministries, agencies, corporate bodies, registered limited liability companies, private companies and all other legal entities.
The State High Court is headed by the Chief Judge nder him are the High Court Judges. It now has five divisions: Kano, Danbatta, Gaya, Gwarzo and Rano divisions. The Chief Registrar Comes next and under him, there are several other departments.
The Sharia Court of Appeal was equally established by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Kano State Sharia Courts Law.
The Sharia court of Appeal hears and determines appeals from the decisions of various grades of Sharia and upper Sharia Courts, in both Civil and Criminal matters. It also supervises and controls the Sharia Courts.
The Grand Khadi under whom there are other Khadis of the Court heads the court. Next is the Chief Registrar of the Court under whom there are several departments including the Sharia Courts Division.
This Commission was also established by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the Kano State Judicial Service Commission Law of 1980 and the Kano State Judicial Service Commission Law (Amended) 2000.
The Commission advises the National Judicial Council on suitable persons for nomination into the offices of Chief Judge of the State, the Grand Khadi and all other Judges of Courts of record.
It also makes recommendation for removal and exercises disciplinary action against all erring Officers of the courts with the exception of the Judges of courts of record.
The Chief Judge of the state is the chairman while there are six other members including the Grand Khadi and Attorney General. There is also a secretary under whom there are Deputy Director and Assistant Director.
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