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The Nigerian Army has denied any involvement in the ongoing emirate tussle in Kano State, contrary to insinuations by the Kano state chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association.
On Thursday, a Federal High Court in Kano issued an ex-parte order, preventing Governor Abba Yusuf from reinstating Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II. The court also halted the implementation of a new law that abolished the four emirates of Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, and Rano.
Despite the court order, the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, reinstated Sanusi as Emir of Kano, arguing that the judge who issued the order was not physically present in Nigeria to issue it.
Thereafter, it was reported that the Army had been used in enforcing the court order, to prevent Sanusi from being reinstalled.
Responding to a statement signed by the Director Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu on Sunday denied the Army’s involvement in the tussle, saying its only role was ensuring no breach in security.
“Contrary to insinuations by the Kano state chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association as published by Premium Times on 26 May 2024, troops of the Nigerian Army have not been involved in the Kano state emirate tussle and are not involved in enforcing any court order. They have only taken proactive steps to checkmate any possible breakdown or breach of the security that may be occasioned by the Kano Emirship tussle.
“The issue of paramount concern to the Nigerian Army and other security agencies is the prevention of breakdown of law and order in the state, which could be taken advantage of by adversarial non-state actors,” the statement added.
The military said it would imminently intervene when it becomes apparent that the intensity of the security situation becomes overwhelming for the police.
“All the Army is doing at this stage is to monitor the situation as it unfolds and be on standby in the event of any escalation that could threaten the security of the state and the region in general.”
Sanusi was reappointed as the 14th Emir of Kano exactly 1,545 days after he was deposed from the throne.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State approved his reappointment last week, after assenting the Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment number 2) Bill, 2024 passed by the House of Assembly.
The new law repealed the immediate past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje’s Kano Emirate Council Law 2019, Kano State Emir’s Appointment and Deposition Amendment Law 2019, and the Kano State Emirate Council Amendment Law 2023, which created five emirates in Kano and paved the way for the deposition of Sanusi.
Effectively, Ganduje dethroned Sanusi on March 9, 2020.
With the new development, Governor Yusuf had given the five former emirs 48 hours to vacate all official residences, and hand over former emirate properties to the deputy governor.
This led to the Kano State House of Assembly, dethroning the five emirs and abolished the five emirates created by Ganduje at a special session on the floor of the House presided over by Speaker Jibrin Falgore.
At the resumed proceeding, the Assembly passed the Kano Emirates Council Law (repeal bill) 2024 after scaling the second and third readings.
The Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment number 2) Law, 2024, was sponsored by the Majority Leader and member representing Dala Constituency, Lawan Hussaini.
