NEWS
JUST IN: Sanusi’s Triumphant Return To Kano, Greeted With Massive Protests In Abuja
As widely speculated, Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, on Friday presented Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi with a letter appointing him as the Emir of Kano.
However, as the event was happening in Kano, protesters stormed the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly Abuja, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing crisis over Kano Emirate.
Biztellers reports that following legislative actions, by the Kano State House of Assembly, including a repeal of an existing law and a resolution, Sanusi moved into Abuja on Thursday with royal paraphernalia.
All that was preceded with an executive endorsement of all the legislative actions which culminated in the presentation of the appointment letter on Friday.
Gov had given the five Emirs who became automatically deposed by the action of the government of Kano State a 48-hour ultimatum to hand over the State’s Commissioner of Local Government Affairs.
However, a Federal High Court, sitting in Kano had ordered that the process be put on hold pending the determination of a fundamental human rights action filed by Alh Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano Emirate.
Justice Mohammed Liman who issued the order also slated 3rd of June, 2024 for the hearing of the matter.
But it appears that the political actors in Kano State are either not in the know, not been served or would have none of that as they have gone with presenting Sanusi with a letter of appointment, reinstating him as the Emir of Kano.
Gov Yusuf 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 to confirm the reappointment of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano and the head of the Kano Emirate Council.”
Sanusi’s reinstatement took place at the Government House in Kano, four years after he was deposed by the immediate past governor of the state Abdullahi Ganduje.
At the event, the governor reechoed the Emir’s role and urged him to lead according to Islamic tenets of Islam.
“As the Emir is being appointed for the second time, it is based on his competence, credibility, and popularity,” he said.
“I urge him to be guided by the principles of Islamic teachings and to use his position to unite the emirate, fostering harmony among the Islamic sects in the state.”
Traditional rulers, kingmakers, and other top dignitaries were in attendance at the event which came barely one day after Governor Yusuf signed the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill 2024 into law.
The new law replaces the Kano State Emirates Council Law, 2019, and dissolves the emirate councils created by Ganduje.
That law was used by Ganduje to split the Kano Emirate into five in December 2019 and deposed Sanusi II, on March 9, 2020.
The emirates created by the Ganduje administration were Karaye, Bichi, Rano, and Gaya, in addition to Kano.
Emir Sanusi II, had ascended the throne during the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration after being ousted from office as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Protesters Storm Abuja
While Kano was busy enthroning Emir Sanusi II for the second time, massive protests erupted in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja against his return to office.
The peaceful protesters marched with banners to register disagreement with and express concerns about the situation in Kano.
According to the protesters, it would require the intervention of President Bola Tinubu to resolve the crisis and ensure the restoration of peace and stability in the state.
Biztellers reports that Gov Yusuf’s swift action against the five Emirates Council and reinstatement of Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano has the backing of the state’s legislature.
The Kano State House of Assembly had presented him with the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill 2024 Bill on Thursday, which the governor signed into law.
The protesters came out under the auspices of the Concerned Patriots of Nigeria, accusing Gov Yusuf taking abuse of office to another level by dissolving the traditional council.
Coordinator, Concerned Patriots of Nigeria, Abdullahi Muhammed Saleh, said, “A lot had been going wrong in the state but the Concerned Patriots of Nigeria had thought it best to allow Kano State to sort out its thorny issues.
“However, Thursday’s brash actions of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, who sacked five emirs to reappoint Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi as the 14th Emir of Kano has awoken us to the urgency of raising the alarm about the destructive excesses of the state governor.
“Since being sworn into office, Governor Abba Yusuf has a string of loutish acts that run like a hardened criminal’s rap sheet. All in the name of rubbishing his predecessor, he started with a demolition spree that has served to impoverish the people whose lives he took an oath to improve. Thus he proved himself to be anti-people.
“The Governor then attempted to destroy the structures of political parties in the state. The impish fanaticism with which he pursued this illicit mission saw him intruding into the structure of other political parties, including hiring some charlatans who purportedly suspended the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who is interestingly his predecessor. Thus, he proved himself to be anti-democratic.
“This latest stunt of sacking five emirs to install his acolyte was achieved by manipulating the Kano State House of Assembly, which he had successfully turned into a rubber stamp for endorsing his illegal acts.
“He has eroded the autonomy guaranteed by the separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“It is inconceivable that any right-thinking person will descend low to the point of manipulating the traditional institution for political gimmicks. The humiliation meted out to the five emirs was most unbecoming and we have cause to believe that Abba Yusuf has set the stage for using the traditional institution as ancient and as esteemed as that of Kano for a political seesaw will continue since his successor will revert to the five emirates. The Kano governor has thus proven himself to be the anti-traditional institution leader.”
The apparently worried protesters added, “The Governor’s choice of actions flies in the face of reason and has no place in a sane and civilised society. We urge Governor Yusuf to retrace his steps and stop further undermining the peace of Kano state and by implication the peace in Nigeria.
“We also condemn the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) – dominated Kano State House of Assembly that they have cemented their place as a conclave of shame to have reverted into a mere rubber stamp for the megalomanic tantrums of the state governor.
“They, alongside Governor Yusuf, have taken their desperation to an extent that could set the ancient city on fire and cause breaches in the land. We are here today to appeal to President Tinubu to intervene in the Kano Emirate crisis.
“The situation would deteriorate by the day, and we need the President’s urgent attention to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
“We believe that President Tinubu’s intervention is crucial at this critical moment. We are counting on his leadership to find a lasting solution to the crisis and ensure peace returns to Kano State.”
The abductors of a Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Bunza, have demanded N200 million as ransom for his release following his abduction from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area.
The ransom demand was confirmed on Tuesday by the Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, Umar Hadejia, and the judge’s brother, Yusuf Bunza.
Justice Bunza was kidnapped in the early hours of Sunday from his home along Zogirma Road in Bunza, prompting a swift security response.
SEE MORE: Bandits Kidnap Kebbi High Court Judge in Midnight Home Invasion
Speaking on the development, Commissioner Hadejia said police had launched an intensive operation to rescue the judge unharmed and apprehend those behind the abduction.
According to him, intelligence gathered during the operation revealed that the kidnappers were demanding N200 million for the judge’s freedom.
He disclosed that a combined team of security operatives had been deployed to comb suspected escape routes, while strategic checkpoints had been mounted across key locations believed to have been used by the abductors.
The police commissioner expressed confidence that the ongoing operation would lead to the safe rescue of Justice Bunza and the arrest of the kidnappers.
Hadejia further revealed that the family informed the police that the abductors had contacted a registrar of the High Court in Abuja to begin negotiations over the ransom demand.
Confirming the development, the judge’s brother, Yusuf Bunza, said the kidnappers had also reached out to him.
“Yes, they contacted me; they asked for N200 million from the family. We don’t know what to do now but we believe the authorities and security operatives are doing their duty to secure his release,” he said.
The abduction has heightened concerns over the security of judicial officers and the persistent threat of kidnapping across parts of the country, as security agencies continue efforts to secure the judge’s safe release.
Students of DS Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Ogun State, on Tuesday shut down the Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway in protest following the killing of one of their colleagues during a robbery attack on a student community behind the institution.
The protest, which caused heavy traffic congestion along the busy highway, erupted after suspected armed robbers invaded Eruku Community, where many students reside, in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to the Rector of the polytechnic, Dr Goke Rafiu, the attackers raided about 15 houses in the community, killing one student and leaving three others injured.
“What happened was that some armed robbers raided about 15 houses in Eruku where some of our students are living. The community is actually behind the school, and during the attack, one of the students was killed while about three others were injured,” Rafiu said.
He disclosed that one of the injured students had been taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, for treatment.
“We are currently in the community with police officers and members of the institution’s management team, including the Chairman of the Governing Council, Ambassador Toye Okanlawon, to chart the way forward,” he added.
The rector appealed to the protesting students to remain calm, assuring them that the Ogun State Government, security agencies and community leaders were working to improve security around the institution.
Following the tragic incident, the institution postponed examinations scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, and Wednesday, July 29, to honour the deceased student and allow affected students time to recover emotionally.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Timetable, Examination and Academic Calendar Committee, Gideon Adekunle, the institution said: “Following the unfortunate incident that resulted in the loss of a student and injuries to others during a robbery attack in Eruku, the examinations scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, and Wednesday, July 29, have been postponed.
“This is to ensure students in the affected area regain their composure and mental stability, and most importantly, to honour the deceased.
“Examinations will resume on Friday, July 30, 2026, as scheduled. A new timetable for the postponed examinations will be communicated in due course.”
The Students’ Union Government President, Comrade Owoigbe Blessing, said the robbers struck around midnight, killing a final-year Higher National Diploma (HND II) student.
“One final-year HND II student was killed, another female student was injured after her ear was severed, while another student who was shot has been rushed to the Federal Medical Centre,” she said.
She called on the Ogun State Government to strengthen security around the institution, lamenting that robbery attacks had become a recurring problem in Eruku Community.
“There is no adequate security. If there was, this would not have happened. This is not the first, second or even third time such an incident has occurred in Eruku,” she said.
Also reacting, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Ogun State, Comrade Olabode Faruq Success, condemned the rising insecurity around tertiary institutions in the state and called for urgent intervention to protect students.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has described Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s reconciliation with his political camp as a correction of past mistakes, insisting the governor had no better alternative than returning to the political family that brought him to power.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday after inspecting ongoing road projects across the Federal Capital Territory, Wike dismissed claims that Fubara’s return was an act of seeking forgiveness following their prolonged political feud.
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According to the former Rivers State governor, politics is not about sin but about recognising mistakes and making the right decisions.
“I don’t know what you mean by sin. In politics, there is no sin. If someone realises they made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that. Politics is not a sin. What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and making the right decision,” Wike said.
Wike recalled that he had predicted the reconciliation before Fubara publicly announced it, maintaining that the governor had no choice but to return to the political structure that produced him.
“I said during my last media chat that he had no other choice but to return to the same political family that produced him. I have now been informed that he has made that declaration publicly, and we welcome him. Our doors are open. Everyone is welcome for us to work together. There is no better alternative. We will all work together to move the state forward,” he stated.
The FCT minister added that Fubara’s public declaration of reconciliation would further strengthen efforts to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election ahead of the 2027 general election.
“He has publicly stated that he has returned to where he started, and we receive him with an open mind. There is nothing to hide. We will all work together to ensure that we deliver the votes President Tinubu needs for his re-election,” Wike added.
The minister spoke while inspecting major infrastructure projects in the FCT, including the ISEX Road Corridor and the nearly completed Apo-Karshi Road.
Expressing satisfaction with the pace of work, Wike said the Tinubu administration remains committed to completing inherited projects rather than abandoning them, noting that continuity in governance is essential for development.
He explained that the ISEX Road project, awarded in 2014 but left incomplete by previous administrations, is expected to be partially completed before the end of the year if the necessary funds are released.
Wike stressed that completing ongoing infrastructure projects would protect public investments, improve connectivity and accelerate economic growth across the Federal Capital Territory.
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