Kano Governor orders arrest of recently dethroned Emir Bayero for "creating tension" after reinstating former Emir Sanusi amid crisis over control of ancient monarchy.
The political crisis surrounding Kano's ancient emirate took a dramatic turn Saturday as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf ordered the immediate arrest of the recently dethroned Emir Aminu Ado Bayero for "creating tension" in the state.
The extraordinary directive comes just a day after Yusuf reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano, stripping Bayero of the title he had held since 2020. Sanusi arrived at the palace in the early hours of Saturday morning to a ceremonious welcome.
However, Bayero also returned to Kano later in the day, greeted by crowds of passionate supporters chanting his name and igniting fears of further unrest in Nigeria's second-largest city.
"The governor has ordered 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," stated Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor's spokesperson.
Yusuf accused Bayero of being "smuggled into Kano city last night in an attempt to forcefully return to the palace" just two days after his dethronement. No details were provided on whether the arrest order had been enforced yet.
The escalating tensions represent a stunning escalation in the long-running saga over the control of Kano's centuries-old traditional institutions and their relationship with political powers.
Just hours before the arrest order, a federal high court judge granted an interim injunction prohibiting the state government from enforcing the law used to reinstate Sanusi and remove the former emirs.
Legal experts warn the dueling claims and government heavy-handedness could enflame the situation further if not handled delicately.
