The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has broken his silence on the barricading of his palace by armed police officers, preventing him from attending a royal ceremony in Bichi Local Government Area yesterday, Friday, December 6, 2024.

The Emir has appealed to his supporters to remain calm and law-abiding.

?I warn you against falling into the traps of the enemies of Kano, who want to see Kano on fire. They always want to witness killings, destruction of public property, and the maiming of innocent lives,? Sanusi stated during a sermon at the Emirate?s Jumu?at Mosque.

The emir stressed that peaceful coexistence, even in the face of provocation, is far better than resorting to violence.

?Islam admonishes patience, whether in difficult situations or times of peace,? he said. ?If you are attacked, patience elevates you. Refusing to be patient creates uncertainty and difficulties, leading to losses for everyone. That is why we urge anyone who loves and supports us to always shun violence, no matter the circumstances.?

Earlier on Friday, heavily armed security operatives, including armoured personnel, took over the Kano Emir?s Palace at Kofar Kudu, restricting human and vehicular movement.

Sources within the Kano Emirate disclosed that the Emir was scheduled to turban the newly appointed Wamban Kano, Munir Sanusi, as District Head of Bichi and present him with a staff of office.

However, the Emir was reportedly ordered to remain indoors by the security operatives.

It was also confirmed that the Bichi Emir?s Palace was surrounded by armed policemen.

It was learnt that several traditional rulers and title holders, who had assembled to accompany Emir Sanusi to Bichi for the royal ceremony, were stranded after operatives restricted movement around the palace.

According to reports, many of the traditional leaders abandoned their vehicles and trekked to the central mosque for Friday prayers.

The reasons behind the heightened security presence remain unclear. Efforts to contact the Kano Police Command?s Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna, proved unsuccessful as his phone was unavailable.

Bichi, one of the four emirates established by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, was dissolved and downgraded to a district under the Kano Emirate by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

The governor also reinstated Sanusi, who was earlier replaced by Ado Bayero as the Kano Emir.

In light of the growing tension, the Kano State Government also urged residents to remain calm.

The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, addressed the issue during a broadcast in Hausa on Freedom Radio.

?We were surprised when we woke up this morning to hear that armed policemen had surrounded the Kano Emir?s palace without any breach of peace or justification for such action,? he said, describing the incident as a calculated attempt to incite unrest in the state.

He disclosed that inquiries to the police command revealed that the action was ?on orders from above.?

He alleged that some individuals were conspiring with federal authorities to create a crisis in Kano, an act he said would not be tolerated by the state government.

The SSG dismissed rumours suggesting possible unrest in Bichi if Emir Sanusi attended the event.

He reassured residents of Bichi?s reputation for peace, noting that the newly appointed District Head hails from the area, and his father, the late Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi I, also served as District Head there.

?We will wait for the Emir to reschedule the event and will ensure people accompany him to Bichi with the new District Head,? Bichi added.

A palace guard, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to comment, informed Saturday PUNCH that the security operatives were withdrawn after Friday prayers.

?The policemen were withdrawn immediately after the Friday congregational prayer, which took place after 2 pm,? he said.

The guard further disclosed that most traditional rulers and titleholders stranded due to the incident had retrieved their vehicles from the palace.

Meanwhile, a cross-section of residents condemned the police action, describing it as an infringement on the Emir?s rights.

One resident, Musa Lawan, said, ?The Emir has not violated any law of the country. So, I see no reason why he should be stopped from performing his duty. More so, he has not done anything that would warrant such action.?

There are, however, speculations that the police deployment might be connected to the enforcement of a court order.

The ongoing legal tussle over the Kano Emirate throne has resulted in conflicting rulings.

A Federal High Court in Kano issued an interim injunction favouring Aminu Ado-Bayero?s authority, while a Kano State High Court granted an injunction supporting Sanusi.

This legal impasse has created confusion over the rightful exercise of emirate powers, leading the Chief Justice of Nigeria to summon the involved judges for an investigation into the conflicting rulings.

Recall that in June, a Federal High Court nullified the Kano Emirate Council (Amendment No. 2) Law, 2024, which had created four additional emirate councils in the state.

This ruling effectively dissolved these councils, adding to the intricacies surrounding the emirship tussle. (Adapted from a Saturday PUNCH report)

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