Protests erupt in Gaya over dissolution of emirates
On Sunday, residents of Gaya in Kano State took to the streets to protest against the dissolution of the Gaya Emirate by the state government. The Gaya Emirate is one of the emirate councils recently dissolved following the amendment of the Kano Emirates Council Law of 2019.
The amendment, enacted by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)-controlled House of Assembly, reversed the law that former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje used in 2020 to create additional emirates and dethrone the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
Governor Abba Yusuf finalized the dissolution by signing the amendment bill into law on Thursday, instructing the emirs of the affected emirates, including Aliyu Ibrahim Abdulkadir, Emir of Gaya, to hand over to Deputy Governor Abdulsalam Gwarzo, who oversees the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Residents reported that the dethroned emir vacated the palace peacefully at midnight on Thursday, with armed security personnel maintaining order.
However, tensions escalated on Sunday morning when residents began protesting, carrying placards and chanting anti-government slogans. They accused the government of political motives and demanded the reinstatement of their emirate and the removed emir.
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“Some people are not happy with this development. It feels like an injustice to our community,” said Abubakar Shuaibu, a resident of Gaya. Another protester, Aminu Abdullahi, added, “We see this as a political move to undermine our traditional institutions. The government should reconsider its decision and respect our cultural heritage.”
The protesters expressed their allegiance to the traditional leadership and called for the reinstatement of the Gaya Emirate. Governor Abba Yusuf has not yet responded to the protests.
The government’s initial stance suggests that the dissolution aims to centralise control and streamline the traditional leadership structure in Kano State.
The situation remains tense as the affected communities await further clarification and possible resolutions from state authorities.
