Police summon Emir Lamido Sanusi to Abuja

The police have invited the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, to Abuja, the nation’s capital, over an alleged murder during the last Sunday’s sallah festivities in Kano.

The police in Kano had earlier said they were probing the killing of a man during the procession on Sunday.

The violence occurred after Emir Sanusi returned home from Eid prayers. He went to the Eid prayer ground on foot, but returned to the palace riding a horse.

The police had invited the emir’s aide Wada Isyaku, who holds the title of ‘Shamakin Kano’, over alleged violation of a ban on durbar, usually held to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

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The police and other security agencies in the state had banned the event, “in pursuit of safe and secure celebration and to sustain the relative peace and public order in the state.”

On Saturday the police in a letter dated 4 April, signed by Olajide Ibitoye, a Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, said Mr Sanusi was invited following a directive of the Inspector-General of Police.

The letter requested the emir to report to the Force Intelligence Department headquarters in Abuja on 8 April, by 10 a.m.

Basis for the invitation

Violence erupted as Emir Sanusi’s encourage made its way back to the palace. Reports say some hoodlums threw sachets of water on the emir, which triggered violence that was promptly quelled by the police. Teargas was fired to disperse the rowdy crowd.

Also, on Tuesday, Mr Sanusi visited Governor Abba Yusuf to pay Sallah homage. The visit was delayed due to obstructions caused by the presence of the rival emir, Ado Bayero, on State Road.

Mr Sanusi was forced to use a longer route to the Kano State Government House in a convoy of cars.

The mini-palace occupied by the embattled 15th Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, is situated on State Road, about 300 metres from the Government House. On the day, it overflowed with Sallah activities as supporters paid homage to the palace.

Security agents barricaded the road from the main emir’s palace (Gidan Rumfa), the traditional route the emir takes to the Government House.

Mr Sanusi’s entourage therefore followed the road from the main palace through Sabuwar Kofa, BUK Road, Zaria Road, Gadar Lado, and Tarauni Junction.

When returning to the palace, Mr Sanusi rode through Lodge Road, Nasarawa Hospital, Bank Road, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kofar Mata and Shahuci.

His supporters were seen in a viral video singing to mock the police’s ban on the durbar procession.

“If we can’t use horses for the Sallah durbar we can use cars,” they sang while at the Government House.

READ ALSO: Police probe killing during Emir Sanusis Sallah procession

A Kano Emirate official told PREMIUM TIMES the emir did not violate the ban on durbar. “What happened during the sallah celebration was not durbar,” said the official, who asked not to be named because he had no permission to discuss the matter. “The emir only rode a horse back to his palace after leading the Eid-el-Fitr prayers, in line with the practices of past Kano Emirs and the prophet of Islam. It was after the Emir passed that some hoodlums clashed and the police is free to investigate what happened.”

The official said the Kano State Government was aware and approved the movement of the emir on sallah day and the day after.