A judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano, Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa, has died after reportedly collapsing at his residence in Kano State.
The judge was said to have slumped in his living room on Thursday evening, May 21, 2026, and was immediately rushed to a hospital where he was confirmed dead by medical personnel.
Sources within the Federal High Court in Abuja disclosed on Saturday that the late jurist was buried on Friday, May 22, 2026, in accordance with Islamic rites.
“Yes, the judge died Thursday evening and he has been buried. He was very hardworking during his lifetime. You know he handled many high-profile cases and dispensed justice accordingly,” one of the sources said.
The Director of Information of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Catherine Oby Christopher, also confirmed the development, stating that Justice Yunusa died at the State Medical Centre in Kano.
Justice Yunusa was known for handling several high-profile cases during his time on the bench.
One of the notable matters he presided over came in the aftermath of the 2023 general elections when the Federal High Court in Kano clarified that it had not nullified the candidature of the then Abia State Governor-elect, Alex Otti.
At the time, the court had nullified the election of Labour Party candidates in Kano State who participated in the 2023 general elections.
However, Justice Yunusa held that candidates who contested elections in Abia State were not parties before his court.
“This court lacks jurisdiction to make an order for the issuance of certificate of return. They are at liberty to seek redress in the appropriate division of the court,” he had ruled.
The suit was filed by Ibrahim Haruna-Ibrahim, who asked the court to revoke and set aside the certificates of return issued to Labour Party candidates declared winners in Kano and across the 35 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.
The respondents in the matter were the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
