Police Withdraw Personnel, Armoured Vehicles From Sanusi II Palace

The police authorities have withdrawn their operatives and Armoured Personnel Vehicles from the gate of the palace of the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanui II.

The personnel and vehicles were deployed in the palace on Friday apparently to prevent the Emir from installing the new district head of Bichi.

When LEADERSHIP Sunday visited the palace yesterday, the APVs and fierce-looking armed personnel earlier stationed in front of the palace were no longer there.

Like they did on Friday when the siege on the palace was laid, top officials of the Kano State Police Command declined to comment on the incident when our correspondent contacted them yesterday.

There were however rumours that the order was from above. The command’s public relations officer did not respond to calls and text messages from newsmen in the state.

In a reaction to the barricade of his palace on Friday, Sanusi appealed to Kano residents not to engage in any form of violence following the police action.

He said, “I wish to warn you against falling into the trap of the enemies of Kano who want to set Kano on fire through violent killings, destruction of public property and maiming of innocent individuals.”

Sanusi made the appeal in a sermon he delivered at the Friday Mosque of the palace.

According to him, “Islam preaches that you be patient at all times. With patience one becomes great, without which one would get nowhere.”

The state government had earlier condemned the police action which was said to have been taken to stop the Emir from appointing a district head for Bichi, one of the emirates dissolved by the current administration in the state.

In Bichi town, a group of youths staged a protest chanting slogans such as “We want Emir not District Head.”

The appointment of the district head had not taken place but calm has returned to the state.