BRIEF HISTORY OF KANO STATE JUDICIARY
Kano State Judiciary came into being in the year 1968 after creation of states out of the former Northern Region of Nigeria by the then Military Administration of General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd). Before then, it was High Court of Justice of Northern Nigeria, Kano Judicial Division. It is now composed of Ten Divisions: viz, Kano, Dambatta, Gaya, Gwarzo, Rano, Tudun Wada, Ungogo, Bichi, Wudil and Gezawa
Even before the creation of States in 1967, Kano was a Division of the High Court of Northern Nigeria with two resident Judges namely Hon. Justice Holden and Hon. Justice Wheeler. The former being the puisne Judge, earlier on before these appointments of the two Judges, Hon. Justice William was overseeing Kano and Sokoto Judicial Divisions.
In 1970 when Mr. Justice Holden left Kano, Hon. Justice J. R. Jones was posted to Kano Division as a Senior Puisne Judge. During his tenure in the Office, the Magistrate Court outside Kano was built at Gumel and later others were built at Hadejia and Birnin Kudu, all in Jigawa State now. At the same time, more High Court Judges were appointed. They were Hon. Justice Abubakar Bashir Wali and Hon. Justice Sani Aikawa now both late.
Late Hon. Justice A.B. Wali had earlier been appointed Acting Chief Registrar/Commissioner for Area Courts. He was the first to be appointed as (Kadi) Sharia Court of Appeal/Judge of the High Court very much later. Hon. Hamza Muhammad (Late) was elevated to the Sharia Court of Appeal Bench as well. When he clocked over 10-years at the Bar, Hon. Justice A.B. Wali was confirmed as the First indigenous Judge of Kano State High Court. In 1976, he was seconded to the Executive Branch and became 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 were appointed. Later the office of the Chief Registrar was separated from that of the Commissioner for Area Courts later re-designed to Chief Inspector, and now Director. Both officers became directly answerable to the Senior Piusne Judge.
Hon. Justice J. R. Jones was appointed the first Chief Judge which title was later changed to Chief Judge of Kano State. Among the High Court Judges that served on the Bench were notably; Honourable Justice Umar A. Kalgo; Hon. Justice Umar Maidamma, Hon. Justice Layiola, Hon. Justice Nwabueze and Hon.Justice Fernandez among others.
The year 1976 saw the appointment of the First Woman High Court Judge in the whole Northern Region of Nigeria in the person of Hon. Justice Aloma Maryam Muktar now retired CJN. When Hon. Justice Jones retired in 1979 at the advent of the Civilian Administration, the first indigenous Chief Judge in the person of Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher was appointed. During his tenure, the present High Court Building Complex along Sabo Bakin Zuwa Road was completed and occupied by all the Judges. Building has now been named after Hon, Justice Dahiru Musdapher retired CJN.
After the departure of Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapha on elevation to the Court of Appeal another indigene of Kano State in the person of Hon. Justice Saleh Umar Minjibir (Late) became the Chief Judge in 1985. The number of High Court Judges rose to (12) while Area Courts increased to (110) and the establishment of Magistrate Court in most of the Local Government Headquarters. Hon. Justice Saleh Umar Minjibir (Late) first celebrated the Legal Year in September, 1988 and the tradition continued up to the present Administration. It was during his administration High court Miller Road was created.
In June, 2001, Hon. Justice Sanusi Yusuf Chiroma (Late) was appointed as substantive Chief Judge of Kano State. Apart from Chief Judge there were (18) Judges of the High Court of Kano State. Both at Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher Complex, Audu Bako Secetariat. Hon. Justice Saleh Minjibir Complex, Miller Road and Hon. Justice J.R. Jones Complex, Bompai Road, Kano. The general policies formulated by the Hon. Chief Judge are implemented at all levels of the judiciary.
The Three Complexes have been given some face lifts and computers as well as other gadgets relating to Information Technology have been put in place. Five (5) Divisional High Courts have been built at Dambatta, Gaya, Gwarzo, Rano and Tudun Wada Local Government Headquarters.
An Ultra Modern Office accommodation for the Judicial Service Commission has been completed at the main complex of the High Court, it was later named after Hon. Justice Sanusi Chiroma Yusuf. Now that all the Courts comprising the High Court and all section housing the supporting staff are fully computerized, a new dawn of improved justice delivery is assured.
The Completion of the Multi-Door Court House Section fully equipped is Sine-qua non to decongestion of cases and resolution of disputes throughout the state expeditiously.