The protracted tussle rocking the Kano Emirate triggered fresh wounds on Sunday as loyalists of the 15th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, allegedly unleashed mayhem on the Kofar-Kudu palace of the 16th Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II.
The ugly incident ensued when Emir Bayero and his large entourage were returning from his Mandawori residence.
A statement issued by the Kano Emirate Media Team, signed by Sadam Yakasai and made available to The Guardian, disclosed that the attack was carried out when Emir Sanusi was out of the palace.
Yakasai said, “They broke the gate and attacked the guards, injuring some of them. They smashed the police vehicles in the palace. Aminu deliberately passed through the emir’s palace road instead of taking the proper route from Koki to Nassarawa, and his hoodlums decided to attack Gidan Rumfa.
“This is not the first time he has passed through the area. He had done that previously after he visited his Mandawari residence. He did that to intimidate the people of the area,” Yakasai alleged.
Yakasai insisted that the 15th emir, after his deposition by the Kano State government, had relocated and taken over the Nassarawa mini-palace, thereby trespassing without caution.
“He has not challenged his deposition in any court, but he is relying on others who did. The governor has shown restraint and statesmanship despite the nuisance caused by the deposed emir and his hoodlums in the neighbourhood of the Government House.
“It should also be noted that the deposed Emir does not have the support of any of the emirate stakeholders, as 37 out of the 38 District Heads have pledged allegiance to Emir Sanusi.
“It is only one out of the six brothers of Aminu Ado Bayero who did not pledge allegiance. Even the nephew of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje was recently turbaned as the Village Head of Ganduje by Emir Muhammad Sanusi II, rather than Aminu Ado Bayero, who claims to be the emir.
“This is the first time deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero is taking his fight directly to Gidan Rumfa while remaining in his heavily secured domain in Nassarawa Palace, very close to the Kano State Government House,” Yakasai alleged.
However, an effort to elicit a reaction at Nassarawa palace was unsuccessful, as the spokesperson for the 15th Emir, Abubakar Kofar-Naisa, did not answer calls made to his phone.
But an eyewitness to the incident, Muktar Dahiru, debunked the narration of Yakasai and insisted the incident was rather a clash between those he described as ‘unknown miscreants’ at Kofar-Kudu palace and supporters of Bayero.
Dahiru, who was part of the entourage of Bayero, explained that the crisis started when ‘unknown miscreants’ brandishing dangerous weapons mounted a barricade to prevent the 15th emir from passing through Kofar-Kudu, citing his entourage.
The eyewitness, who insisted he was not aware of any palace guard inflicted with injury, however, confirmed the forceful repel of an attempt by unknown miscreants to block the passage of Bayero. He stressed that the clash prompted the intervention of the police, who dispersed the hoodlums with tear gas.
“I was on the entourage of the Emir of Kano, Alh. Aminu Bayero, at the time the incident occurred. We were actually coming from Koki quarters on a condolence visit to Alhaji Aminu Dantata’s family house.
“But while returning to Nassarawa palace through Kofar-Kudu, we saw some hoodlums blocking the road at the front of the palace. They were with dangerous weapons. At that point, the supporters of Emir Bayero had to confront them to clear the way, and they did that successfully, and Emir Bayero made his way unhurt,” Dahiru narrated.
Efforts to get more information from the police concerning the incident proved abortive. (The Guardian)
