Tension appears to be high as the leadership of the Kano Emirate took a new twist on Saturday.
This comes as the newly appointed Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II and the deposed Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero now lay claim to the throne.
Emir Sanusi II has formerly assumed duty at the palace while the deposed Emir Ado Bayero is now at the royal house in Nasarawa, another part of Kano city.
Sanusi II appeared at the palace on a horse with the royal umbrella, which signifies him as the emir.
On Thursday, the state governor, Abba Yusuf, assented to the Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment Number 2) Law, 2024.
The amended law abolished the establishment of the five emirate councils of Kano, Bichi, Rano, Karaye and Gaya in the state.
The governor signed the bill into law in the presence of the deputy governor, Aminu Abdulsalam, Speaker, Isma’il Falgore, and the SSG, Abdullahi Bichi.
Speaking after the signing, the governor announced the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi ll, who was deposed by former governor, Abdullahi Ganduje in 2020.
The move led to his reinstatement four years after the immediate past governor of the North-West state Abdullahi Ganduje deposed him.
Meanwhile, Bayero reportedly landed at the Aminu Kano International Airport on Saturday at 4:30 am and was greeted by supporters. He proceeded to occupy the Nasarawa palace.
Governor Yusuf Orders Bayero’s arrest
Following Bayero’s return to Kano, Governor Yusuf ordered his immediate arrest, accusing him of creating tension within the state.
According to a press statement issued early Saturday morning by Mr Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the spokesperson for the Governor, the former emir was allegedly smuggled into Kano city last night in an attempt to reclaim the palace forcefully.
The statement, issued at 7:00 AM in Kano, confirmed that the new Emir, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, had arrived at the palace accompanied by the Governor, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the State Assembly, and other top government officials at approximately 1:00 AM on Saturday.
“As the Chief security officer of the state, His Excellency the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has directed the Commissioner of Police to arrest the deposed emir with immediate effect for disturbance of public peace and trying to destroy the relative peace the state enjoys,” read the statement from Mr. Tofa, who serves as the Director General of Media and Publicity at the Government House in Kano.
The statement emphasized the government’s commitment to maintaining peace and order, highlighting that any actions undermining this stability would be met with strict measures.
Police vow to enforce court order against dissolution of new emirates
The Kano State Police Command said it will enforce the court order restraining the state government from dissolving five newly created Emirates in the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Hussain Gumel, vowed to maintain law and order, assuring that security agencies won’t spare anyone trying to temper the peace across the state.
“Let me also remind you that the position of the law is very clear as whoever, under whatever guise is found to be planning to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the State or feel that he or she can jeopardize the existing security settings in the State will be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.
“Therefore, as the Police Command is leading other security agencies to sustain the peace and peaceful coexistence for overriding interests, miscreants should steer clear of violence in all its ramifications and should not take advantage or hijack the current situation to launch an unprovoked attack on people, property and infrastructure of the State. Any person found with such a tendency will be ruthlessly dealt with according to the law of the land
“The combined security agencies in the State have set out all machinery in place to ensure no breakdown of law and order as the safety and security of all the inhabitants in the State remain sacrosanct,” Gumel said.
NSA denies backing deposed Bayero
Following claims that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu facilitated the return of the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, to the ancient city on Saturday, his office denied it.
The spokesperson for the office of the NSA, Zakari Mijinyawa, described the claims as false.
Mijinyawa, who spoke in Abuja, was reacting to the state Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo, who had accused the NSA of facilitating the return of the dethroned emir.
Earlier the deputy governor said the law was clear on the process for the coronation of an emir and that “nobody has any right to interfere or enforce anyone on Kano people”.
He had accused Ribadu of “using security” to intimidate the people of the state.
However, the NSA, through his spokesperson, stated emphatically that the office of the NSA did not provide the aircraft that returned Ado Bayero to the state.
Atiku points accusing finger at FG
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said that the deposed Emir Ado Bayero, couldn’t have returned to the ancient city without the Federal Government’s backing.
In a Saturday post on X, Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), warned that any attempt to destabilise the peace of Kano State would be resisted.
“The action of the Federal Government in deploying soldiers in Kano in the tussle over the throne of the ancient city is an upset to the peace and security of the state and also in breach of the 1999 Constitution as Amended,” he said.
“In performing their constitutional duties of law-making, the Kano State House of Assembly (KSHA) passed the amended Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill 2024 in consonance with the provision of Section 4 of the Constitution 1999 as Amended, whereas the Governor of Kano State, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf subsequently signed the bill into law. The law, therefore, repealed the 2019 version, which balkanised the ancient Kano Emirate into five.
“The foregoing circumstances happened within the confines of the law and in compliance with the powers conferred on the Governor as provided by Section 5(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended; and also in consultation with the Kingmakers of Kano, reappointed Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (also known as Muhammadu Sanusi II) as the 16th Emir of Kano State and accordingly handed him a letter of appointment.
“It is surprising that in the early hours of today, at or about 5:30 am, the former Emir of Kano, His Majesty Aminu Ado Bayero, backed by Federal might, made their way into the Nasarawa Palace of the Kano Emirate while the reappointed Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II was at the Gidan Dabo, which is the main residence of the Emir of Kano.
“We need to remind the Tinubu administration that Kano State is known for peace and harmony spanning thousands of years, and any attempt to destabilise the peace of the Land of Commerce shall be resisted. Recall that when Muhammadu Sanusi II was dethroned on 9th March 2020, Kano forged on in peace without any fracas.”
NNPP warns against state of emergency declaration
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has warned against the declaration of a state of emergency in Kano State due to the current Emirship tussle in the state.
In a statement on Saturday, a spokesman for the party, Ladipo Johnson, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using security agencies to subvert the will of the people in the state.
“The ongoing situation should not be an excuse to declare a state of emergency which would then translate to achieving what Ganduje and the APC could not achieve through their regrettable actions up to the Supreme Court as the people of Kano are steadfast to resist attempts to subvert their mandate freely given to Governor Abba Yusuf of NNPP,” Johnson stated.
