The residence of the 15th Emir of Kano, Kano State, Nigeria, Aminu Ado Bayero, in the Nasarawa area remains sealed, a day after security forces took control amid rising tensions between political factions loyal to former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
On Wednesday morning, Kano residents woke up to a heavy deployment of police and other security agencies blocking all routes leading to the Nasarawa Emir’s residence and the nearby Kano Government House, causing significant traffic congestion.
In a statement, the Kano State Police Command said intelligence reports had indicated plans by certain individuals to incite violence in the state. As a result, security personnel were deployed across strategic locations within Kano Metropolis to prevent unrest.
“Following credible intelligence reports of a planned violent protest by some individuals, the Command, in collaboration with other security agencies, has deployed personnel and assets to strategic locations within Kano Metropolis to prevent the protest and ensure public safety,” the statement read.
The police also confirmed the arrest of 17 suspects, urging residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities.
Investigations by Daily Post revealed that by Tuesday night, videos had circulated on social media claiming that members of the Kwankwasiyya movement, supporters of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, were planning a protest against President Bola Tinubu’s alleged interference in Kano affairs, particularly the Kano Emirate dispute.
One viral video featured a Facebook user, Junaidu Aminu Kilishi, warning that Kwankwasiyya members planned to march to the Kano Government House through Nasarawa Gate while chanting slogans against the President and supporting Emir Bayero.
“There is a major disaster being planned by these Kwankwasiyya members. They are preparing to remove their red caps and pretend to be ordinary citizens while marching through Nasarawa Gate to the Government House. Their goal is to accuse the President of destabilizing Kano and backing Emir Aminu Ado Bayero,” the video alleged.
The Kano Emirate crisis dates back to 2019, when former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje divided the centuries-old Kano Emirate into five separate emirates—Rano, Karaye, Gaya, Bichi, and Kano. In 2020, Ganduje dethroned Muhammadu Sanusi II, citing allegations of financial mismanagement and political interference.
However, in 2024, after the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) took control of the Kano government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the administration reversed Ganduje’s decision by abolishing the new emirates and reinstating Sanusi II as Emir of Kano.
This move sparked a legal and political standoff, with the Federal Government—backed by Ganduje and President Tinubu—supporting Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, while the Kano State Government remains loyal to Emir Sanusi II.
For nearly a year, Kano has had two rival Emirs coexisting in the city, deepening the divide between political factions and their supporters.
As of the time of this report, security operatives remain stationed along the road leading to the Kano Government House, with one lane reopened to ease traffic. However, access to the Nasarawa Emir’s residence, where Emir Bayero currently resides, remains restricted.
Neither the Kwankwasiyya movement nor the Kano State Government has issued an official response to the ongoing security lockdown.
