Gunfire Heard Around Kano Emir’s Palace

Gunfire was on Monday night reported around the mini palace where the deposed Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, is staying in Nasarawa GRA of the state capital.

The palace is located about 300 metres to the Kano Government House where movement of vehicles is restricted to one portion of the road leading to Tarauni.

The emir’s palace, which has been witnessing a buzz of activities, is under survellance by a combined security team.

On Sunday, armed hunters at the main Emir’s palace where the reinstated Emir Lamido Sanusi is staying, tried to attack some protesters calling on Kano governor to obey a court order restraing it from removing Mr Ado-Bayero.

The hunters relented because of the presence of the security agents at the palace.

Some residents and passerby suspected that the gunshots were fired to discourage any attempt to arrest Mr Ado-Bayero after a state High court ordered his eviction from the palace on Monday.

A resident of the area told PREMIUM TIMES some commuters diverted their route in fear that the palace was under attack.

“Have you heard what is happening at the Aminu Ado Bayero palace? My wife just called me now that there is heavy gunfire at the Emir’s palace and they don’t know what’s going on there. The gunfire has been coming from the direction of the palace,” a resident of the area asked PREMIUM TIMES.

“People heading to Ahmadu Bello Way are said to be changing their routes but we don’t know what is actually happening,” the resident said.

It was not immediately clear whether the gunshots were from security agents or palace guards.

Both the Kano State police commissioner, Muhammad Gumel, and the command’s spokesperson, Haruna Kiyawa, could not be reached on phone to comment on the incident.

The development followed a court order by the Kano State High Court ordered to evict the dethroned Emir Mr Ado Bayero, from his palace.

The state high court on Monday ordered Mr Ado-Bayero and his four colleagues in Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye Emirates to stop parading themselves as emirs.

The court issued the interim injunction pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, and the Kano State House of Assembly.