Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has said he ordered the arrest of the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.
Yusuf explained that Ado Bayero’s decision to return to Kano State two days after his dethronement posed a security risk, hence the order for his arrest.
He was reacting to an article, “A Rendezvous with Recklessness and Executive Rascality,” by Bala Ibrahim, who accused him of rascality and recklessness in power.
However, speaking through his spokesman, Sanusi Bature, the governor said repealing the 2019 Kano Emirate Law gave him the power to abolish the emirates created by his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Recently, the Kano Federal High Court ordered the state government to pay Bayero N10 million for breaching his fundamental rights, personal liberty and freedom of movement.
Citing Sections 35(1) and 41(1) of the 1999 Constitution, Justice Simon Amobeda held that it was wrong for Yusuf to order Bayero’s arrest without lawful justification, which he said forced the applicant into house arrest for fear of being arrested.
Reacting via a statement, Bature said: “Does Bala Ibrahim actually understand the workings of government and governance? I do not want to go into judicial pronouncements, but the point I want to make clear is that the issue of Kano Emirship is straightforward with the repeal of the Kano Emirate Law (2019) and enactment of the Kano Emirate Law (2024), which gave Governor Yusuf the power to abolish the five emirates and return Kano to its glorious and historic position as one emirate.
“This is the wish of the people of Kano State. The reappointment of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II did not also come to anyone as a surprise, because his dethronement (and consequent banishment) by Abdullahi Ganduje and his co-travellers was done out of malice.
“Now, calling for the arrest of dethroned Emir Aminu Bayero was only done for the public good, as his entrance into Kano shortly after his dethronement posed a serious security threat which is being managed up till today. Governor Abba Yusuf remains the Chief Security Officer of Kano State, and no sane leader would fold his arms and watch Kano snowball into a state of anarchy without taking action.”