Deposed Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II was evicted from the palace around 5:36 pm on Monday, March 9th amid tight security in company of Kano State Commissioner of Police and other security agencies. Sources from the palace said the deposed emir signed the dethronement letter after series of consultations with his lawyers and confidants who were with him during his last moments at the palace.

The Chief Imam of Al-Furqan Mosque, Dr Bashir Umar Ali, was reported to have gone into the palace to meet the deposed emir, in what many saw as an attempt to placate and persuade him to accept the fate that befell him so as to avert any possible breakdown of law and order in the city.

Many of the emir’s close subjects were seen in his company as he was taken out of the palace.

There was commotion as some of the supporters of the dethroned emir tried to follow the motorcade, prompting security agents to fire teargas to disperse them.

There was also pandemonium within the palace as some of the supporters started pelting the police.

Some sources within the palace who pleaded anonymity alleged that a director of a government agency along with thugs invaded the palace wielding sticks, describing the development as a brazen display of thuggery and intimidation against the family of the deposed royal father.

The mood was tense in the city and there was heavy presence of security, particularly around the emir’s palace as well as some sensitive places such as the government house, the house of the newly appointed emir at Mandawari as well as other places that could be prone to attack by mobs.

Many amongst the crowd at the palace sympathised with the deposed emir, with some expressing shock and disbelief over what happened while others said they knew it was coming going by the unfolding events right from the time the emir began to have issues with the state governor.

An elderly man, Malam Tijjani Zakiru, described the incident as a coup. For Muhammadu Sani Shua’ibu,

This story is not good at all because what happened will affect the reputation of the royal clan entirely as well as the traditional institution.

Source: Daily Trust

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.