Supporters of deposed Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, took to the streets yesterday in peaceful demonstrations, demanding his return to the throne.
The protest follows the recent reinstatement of Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano by Governor Abba Yusuf, which has intensified the ongoing emirate tussle in the state.
The crisis erupted after Governor Yusuf signed the Kano State Emirates Council Law on Thursday and reappointed Sanusi the next day, instructing affected emirs to vacate their palaces within 48 hours. This move reinstated Sanusi, who had been dethroned four years ago, while Bayero was left in a precarious position.
State Police Commissioner Mohammed Usaini Gumel, during a press briefing at the Government House in Kano on Sunday night, warned that security operatives would enforce the law to maintain order.
Gumel stated, “Anybody who wants to test the ground, the security has the capacity to deal with the miscreants. We have perfected plans to embark on serious patrols and detection on locations where we are informed the miscreants are hiding.”
Protests erupted across the state, with Bayero’s supporters lighting bonfires and chanting anti-government slogans.
In Rano Emirate, youths protested the dethronement of their Emir, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad Inuwa, known as ‘Autan Bawo’. Aliyu Harazimi Rano, leading the protest, criticized the new law that abolished the four other emirates, stating it had brought significant development to the area.
The dethroned Emir of Karaye has vacated his palace and relocated to Kaduna, while the deposed Emir of Gaya, Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim Abdulkadir, has accepted his removal as an act of God.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Abdulkadir said, “Allah has predestined that this would happen long before we were born. Therefore, we do not hold any grudge against anybody. It is the will of Allah and we have accepted it wholeheartedly.”
In Gaya, supporters held a special prayer session to protest the abolition of their emirate, emphasizing that the emirate had brought unprecedented development to the region.
Meanwhile, some commissioners and local council chairmen visited Sanusi, who held a private meeting with district heads and titleholders. Opposition federal lawmakers under the G-60 coalition urged the federal government to refrain from intervening in the royal crisis.
In a statement, Obi Aguocha of the Labour Party and Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed full support for the reinstatement of Sanusi, stating that his initial removal was an “attack and desecration of the revered ancient traditional institution.”
The Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation called on the Kano State Government to respect the rule of law.
“In the interest of peace, we want justice to prevail. Since the court intervenes to maintain law and order, we expect each party to respect the rule of law in the interest of peace,” said Sheikh Ibrahim Dahiru Bauchi, chairman of the foundation.
Bichi stakeholders also expressed discontent over the dissolution of their emirate, praising the judiciary and security agencies for their roles in maintaining peace.
“We commend the judiciary for their courageous interpretation of the constitution, which has ensured that the principles of democracy and separation of powers are respected in Kano State,” they said in a statement.
The police command, alongside other security agencies, revealed a plot by miscreants to attack strategic locations, including the State House of Assembly. Commissioner Gumel stated, “We have received credible information about miscreants trying to unleash terror at locations particularly House of Assembly and other key places within the state. It has been verified by so many sources.”
He warned that security forces are prepared to respond to any threat.
“We are going to embark on house-to-house search on anybody who feels he is stronger than the law. Kano will remain safe and nobody can override the decision,” Gumel asserted.