Gov Yusuf orders arrest of deposed Emir Ado Bayero
By Emma Ogbuehi
The crisis rocking the Kano traditional institution took a turn for the worse on Saturday with the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, ordering the immediate arrest of the deposed Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.
The order was contained in a statement on Saturday by the Director General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano, Sanusi Tofa.
The governor said Bayero should be arrested for allegedly creating tension in the state.
The statement titled, ‘Gov. Yusuf Orders Arrest of Deposed Emir of Kano Aminu Ado Bayero,’ read: “The Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has ordered the immediate arrest of the former Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, for creating tension in the state.
“The former Emir was smuggled into Kano city last night in an attempt to forcefully return to the palace two days after being deposed by the Governor.
“In a statement issued by Mr Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the spokesperson to the Governor, it was confirmed that the new Emir, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, arrived at the palace in the company of the Governor, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the State Assembly, and other top government functionaries at about 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, 25th May 2024.
“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 disturbing public peace and attempting to destroy the relative peace the state enjoys.”
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Bayero, whose whereabouts had been unknown since he was deposed on Thursday returned to Kano on Saturday.
The state House of Assembly repealed the law that ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had signed on December 5, 2019.
After signing the law, Ganduje split the emirate into five and appointed Emirs to each.
Upon signing the repealed Kano Emirates Council Law, Yusuf gave all the Emirs affected by the law 48 hours to vacate their palaces and hand them over to the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
He subsequently announced the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi, whom Ganduje had deposed in 2020 as Emir of Kano.
The governor issued a reappointment letter to Sanusi on Friday, and Sanusi led Jumat prayers at the Government House, Kano.
In the early hours of Saturday, Ado Bayero returned to Kano into the waiting hands of a crowd of supporters, according to a video sighted by Daily Trust.
On Friday, Governor, Abba Yusuf reappointed Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
Sanusi received his letter of reinstatement at the Government House in Kano.
The governor said, “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 reappointment of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano and the head of the Kano Emirate Council.”