Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Police take over Emir of Kano’s palace

Kano : Supporters of the newly appointed Emir of Kano hold a demonstration march in his support in the ancient northern Nigerian city of Kano, on June 9, 2014. Nigeria's new Muslim monarch, the Emir of Kano, was sworn in today, after a second day of violence fuelled by suspicions that politics, not religion, was behind the appointment. Thousands of well-wishers turned out at the Kano state government headquarters as Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was given his official letter of appointment to the influential role by Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso. AFP PHOTO


The Police yesterday took over the Emir’s Palace in Kano, following continuation of the protest that greeted the announcement of former Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as successor to late Ado Bayero, who died last Friday.
According to reports from Vanguard,the ruling party in the state, the All Progressives Congress, APC, however, accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of inciting violence in an attempt to destabilise the state. The party urged the Kano State Attorney-General to prosecute all PDP officials allegedly involved in the act. The PDP, however, yesterday congratulated Sanusi as the new Kano emir.
The protests notwithstanding, the new Emir was, yesterday, presented with his appointment letter and staff of office by Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Irate youths opposed to the appointment of Sanusi as the 14th Fulani Emir of Kano by Governor Kwankwaso took to the streets again, yesterday, forcing the closure of private and public schools. The youths in their hundreds seized the Emir’s Palace Road, made bonfires at strategic points on the highway, while motorists were forced to divert to other roads. The protesting youths, clutching tree branches kept chanting “bamuayi”.
A contingent of anti-riot policemen was drafted to the palace to dislodge the protesters. The palace was then placed under security cover as only female visitors were allowed to enter into the centuries-old palace. This has now cut short the week-long mourning of the late Emir.
A security source in Kano said that “the measure adopted by the Police was to ensure that the palace was not destroyed and also to keep the artefacts in the palace intact”. The source said: “Our presence here would certainly check protesters, who have used the palace as rallying point for two days running now”.

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