Kano State Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf has issued an order for the immediate arrest of the deposed Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero. The directive, announced on Saturday by Sanusi Tofa, the Director General of Media and Publicity at the Government House, cited Bayero’s alleged role in creating unrest within the state.
The official statement, titled “Gov. Yusuf Orders Arrest of Deposed Emir of Kano Aminu Ado Bayero,” asserted that Bayero had clandestinely returned to Kano in an attempt to reclaim his former palace just two days after his deposition by the governor.
According to the statement, the newly reinstated Emir, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, arrived at the palace around 1 a.m. on Saturday, May 25, 2024, accompanied by Governor Yusuf, the deputy governor, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, and other senior government officials.
“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 immediately for disturbing public peace and attempting to disrupt the relative stability the state enjoys,” the statement read.
Bayero’s location had been unknown since his removal on Thursday. However, he resurfaced in Kano on Saturday, amid a crowd of supporters, as seen in a video obtained by Daily Trust.
The backdrop to these events involves a legislative change. The Kano State House of Assembly recently repealed a law enacted by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on December 5, 2019, which had divided the Kano Emirate into five separate emirates. This legislative repeal required all Emirs affected by the previous law to vacate their palaces within 48 hours and hand them over to the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Following this legislative action, Governor Yusuf reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II, who had been deposed by Ganduje in 2020, as the Emir of Kano. Sanusi received his reappointment letter on Friday and led the Jumat prayers at the Government House.
While presenting the reappointment letter, Governor Yusuf stated, “By the powers conferred on me by the Kano Emirate Council Law of 1984 and 2024, and supported by the recommendation of the kingmakers, I have the singular pleasure of confirming the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano and the head of the Kano Emirate Council.”
