Police Take Over Emir’s Palace in Kano, Displace Local Guards Protecting Sanusi
Police officers have reportedly taken control of the emir’s palace in Kano State, displacing the local guards who were protecting reinstated Emir Muhammadu Sanusi.
According to First Class Gists, the hunters serving as local guards vacated the palace as soon as the police assumed responsibility for its security. This action aims to secure the main palace for the relocation of Aminu Bayero, the deposed 15th Emir of Kano, following a court order that deemed his dethronement invalid.
On Thursday, a federal high court in Kano nullified all actions by the state government to repeal the Emirates Council Law of 2019. Presiding Judge Muhammad Liman ruled that the defendants were aware of an interim order previously granted by the court but chose to ignore it and implemented the law.
### Background
On May 23, the Kano House of Assembly passed an amended bill, which Governor Abba Yusuf signed into law. This law repealed the 2019 version that divided the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions and was used to dethrone Muhammadu Sanusi as emir in 2020. On the same day the law was repealed, Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano by the kingmakers and the governor.
In response, Aminu Babba Dan Agundi and Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano emirate sought a court order to prevent the enforcement of the law that reinstated Sanusi. On May 23, Judge Liman ordered the defendants to “suspend” and “not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024,” which affects all offices and institutions created under the 2019 law.
The Kano police command also stated it would not comply with the state government’s directive to evict Bayero from the Nassarawa palace, where he moved after being replaced by Sanusi. Bayero, reportedly supported by some federal government officials, has since been under the protection of soldiers and police officers at the Nassarawa palace.
