Kano Police denies taking sides in emirship crisis

By KEMI KASUMU

The Commissioner of Police in Kano State, CP Usaini Gumel, has denied allegations that his men were biased in the emirate crisis.

In a media interview, published on Tuesday, the police chief said the force’s mandate is to protect lives and property.

He said it was their duty to protect both traditional rulers, “which is what we are still doing.”

Gumel stated that his men and other security operatives have been neutral, adding that the police received about five court orders on the emirate tussle.

“The issue is before the Federal and State courts. We are waiting for judgement,” he said.

It would be recalled that a former governor of Kano and leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, vowed that a potential state of emergency would be resisted in the state.

He accused the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government of compromising Kano security by its refusal to take away heavy operatives guarding the deposed Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.

Kwankwaso was reacting to the ongoing situation in Kano, where Federal security agencies are allegedly backing the deposed Emir Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.

Legit.ng earlier reported that a Kano division of the federal high court fixed a date in June for the ruling on the issue of jurisdiction in the case of the Kano emirate tussle.

The court, presided over by Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman, adjourned the sitting following a heated argument between the counsels.

It, however, awarded N10 million against Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the state in favour of Ado Bayero over what it called infringement on his fundamental human rights.

But the state, through its Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Dederi, swiftly rejected the ruling saying there was no case of human rights abuse as the government did not place the deposed Emir under house arrest.

The Kano State Government has gone to appeal court to stop the High Court ruling.