Why we invaded Kano palace – Nigerian Army
Story from Usman UMAR, Abuja
The Nigerian Army has explained why it deployed soldiers to Kano State as tensions heigtened over the position of Emir in the state.
Neptune Prime reports that the Kano State House of Assembly recently revoked the law that led to the removal of Sanusi as Emir in 2020 by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
The state governor, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf dethroned Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero to clear the path for the reinstatement of deposed Emir Sanusi Lamido.
During the enactment of the new law on Friday, Governor Abba Yusuf instructed the displaced emirs to vacate their official residences and transfer their properties to the Deputy Governor, who also serves as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
READ ALSO: Emirate Turmoil: Protesters take to Kano streets, call for Bayero’s reinstatement
Shortly after this directive, Ado Bayero, who was away from the state at the time of the order, unexpectedly returned to the city and settled in a smaller palace in Nassarawa.
In response to this turn of events, Governor Yusuf issued a warrant for the emir’s arrest, but the police promised to comply with a court order that halted Sanusi’s reinstatement.
Following the arrest order, soldiers were deployed by the authorities of the Nigerian Army to secure
the small palace, while vigilantes and local hunters guarded the main palace.
This move caused the perception that the Army was supporting the ousted monarch. Various civil society groups, activists, legal experts, and others criticized the military intervention, stating that such actions have no place within a democratic system.
However, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, clarified in a statement on Sunday night that the military is not involved in the emirate dispute in Kano.
He emphasized that the Army is focused on preventing the breakdown of law and order in the state, stepping in only if the security situation worsens significantly beyond the capability of the police.
At present, the Army is closely monitoring the situation in Kano and is prepared to intervene if necessary to safeguard the security within the state and the broader region.
