Protest Rocks Kano Over Appeal Court Judgement

Protesters have ignored the warning of the Kano State Police Command and took to the streets to register their grievances over the sack of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf by the Appeal Court.

The protest was carried out by a faceless group whose members were believed to be drawn from the Kwankwasiyya Movement.

They took to the streets in different parts of the metropolis protesting against the Appeal Court judgment removal of Yusuf.

In what appeared to be a coordinated action yesterday, the protesters including men and women stormed strategic locations in the city. They were said to have been dispersed by the police at Na’ibawa area, the main entrance to Kano from Zaria.

However, commercial activities continued unhindered as the protest did not last for long.

Other protesters stormed Kantin Kwari Market and  IBB Way carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Kano My City My State”, “Abba’s mandate was stolen in 2019, what happened in 2019 would not be allowed to repeat itself now”.

Earlier yesterday, dozens of women wearing red veils marched to the Kano State Police Command to protest the appellate court judgment.

The women, who carried placards and sang pro-Yusuf songs, said they were protesting the injustice done to the people of Kano state by the appellate court.

The demonstrators, who began their march from the residence of former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso at Miller Road, had the intention of going to the state Police Command Headquarters in Bompai area.

However, on their way to Bompai, the protesters were blocked by teams of armed police officers and personnel of the Nigeria Correctional Service.

The women, most of whom wore red veils, signifying the Kwankwasiyya Movement, converged at the Police Command Headquarters and demanded to see the commissioner of police, CP Usaini Gumel

Some of the demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as “Our mandate must be restored; Injustice exposed in CTC” and “Kano voted for Abba” among others.

They told journalists that they were protesting against the Appeal Court’s judgement, which removed governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

The women called on the Supreme Court, where Yusuf had filed an appeal, to serve justice in the matter by ensuring “the governor retains his seat, being the winner of the popular votes in the March 18, 2023 election in the state.”

One of them, Zuwaira Abubakar said, “The protest is not for Abba alone but for Kano state. The world has seen that Governor Y was voted for during the march 18 polls. The state should not be taken away from him.”

Another protester pleaded with the federal government to stop “interfering with the courts” and allow justice to be done.