Kwankwaso urges police withdrawal from Bayero’s palace

Former Kano State governor and National Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has called on the Kano State Commissioner of Police to withdraw security operatives stationed at the Nasarawa Mini Palace, where the 15th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, is currently residing.

Kwankwaso made the appeal during his address at the official launch of the Kano State Government-owned Neighbourhood Watch Corps in Kano on Tuesday.

He reiterated that Muhammadu Sanusi II remains the only legitimate Emir of Kano, warning that sustaining parallel traditional institutions could threaten peace and stability in the state. “The legitimate Emir of Kano is Muhammadu Sanusi II. He remains the rightful emir of Kano,” Kwankwaso said.

The Kano Emirate crisis dates back to March 2020, when then-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje dethroned Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, citing alleged insubordination and political friction. Ganduje subsequently split the Kano emirate into four and appointed Aminu Ado Bayero and three others to head the new emirates.

However, Ganduje’s successor, Governor Abba Yusuf—a political godson of Kwankwaso—reversed the decision, scrapping the three additional emirates, removing Bayero, and reinstating Sanusi. Bayero, however, insisted that he remains the Emir of Kano. He vacated the main palace and relocated to the Nasarawa Mini Palace, reportedly enjoying the support of the Federal Government, led by the All Progressives Congress, of which Ganduje was national chairman until his removal months ago.

On Tuesday, Kwankwaso condemned the use of security personnel to enforce Bayero’s occupancy of the Nasarawa Mini Palace, describing it as inconsistent with Kano’s traditions and potentially inflammatory. He urged security agencies to act in strict compliance with the law, stressing the need to avoid actions that could provoke public unrest.

His call comes amid ongoing legal disputes and public debate over the legitimacy of the Kano Emirate leadership.

Meanwhile, Governor Yusuf expressed strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s call for the creation of state police, describing it as a crucial step in addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges.

Yusuf emphasised that lasting peace could only be achieved through a combination of effective security measures and expanded economic opportunities, noting that idle and unemployed youths are more susceptible to criminal exploitation.

“With the graduation of over 2,000 young men and women today, we have taken them off the streets and placed them on the front lines of civil service. They are not only securing their communities but building careers, earning livelihoods, and serving as role models for future generations,” he said.

According to the governor, decentralising policing through State Police would enable states to respond more effectively to local security threats, given their better understanding of the terrain, culture, and specific challenges of their communities.

“The issue of insecurity requires collective and innovative approaches. Properly structured and regulated State Police will strengthen grassroots security and support federal security agencies in maintaining peace and order,” Yusuf added.

The newly established Neighbourhood Watch Corps comprises 2,000 operatives to be deployed across Kano State’s 44 local government areas to enhance grassroots security and curb crime. Of the total strength, 130 are female, while 1,870 are male.

Yusuf noted that the operatives had completed their training and will be fully equipped to respond to major security challenges across the state. The corps will be supported with 88 Hilux patrol vehicles and 440 motorcycles to ensure effective mobility and rapid response.

He described the commissioning of the corps as a significant step toward strengthening community-based security and improving public safety in both urban and rural areas. The corps is expected to work closely with conventional security agencies to maintain law and order across the state.(Punch)