The Kano State Police Commissioner, AIG Usaini Gumel, has refused to carry out Governor Abba Yusuf’s directive to evict the deposed Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, from the Nasarawa mini palace.
This decision comes amidst conflicting legal actions regarding the emir’s status.
Governor Yusuf, through the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, had instructed the Commissioner to remove Emir Aminu Ado Bayero from the palace where he currently resides.
However, Commissioner Gumel, in a telephone interview with The Punch on Friday, explained that the police cannot act on the eviction order due to ongoing legal proceedings initiated by the same government.
“Obeying the governor’s eviction order would be like jumping the gun because the state government has already filed a case at the State High Court concerning the eviction, scheduled for June 24, 2024. We cannot preempt the court’s decision,” Commissioner Gumel stated.
Security measures have been heightened around the Nasarawa mini palace following the governor’s directive.
Additional security personnel have been deployed, and all major routes leading to the palace are reportedly blocked. Despite these measures, the deposed Emir remains in the palace with his palace guards and supporters.
A source close to Emir Aminu Ado Bayero confirmed to a Punch correspondent, his presence in the palace, dismissing rumors of an imminent demolition.
“Emir Aminu Ado Bayero is still in the mini palace and receiving traditional greetings from loyal traditional rulers,” the source disclosed.
He also refuted social media claims about preparations for demolition, describing them as propaganda.
The standoff underscores the escalating tensions surrounding the political and traditional leadership crisis in Kano State, with legal and security implications looming large ahead of the court hearing.