How residents chased Sanusi’s representatives out of Rano

By Our Correspondent

Tension flared in Rano Emirate as residents chased away a man appointed by the reinstated Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, to manage the emirate.

The representative arrived in Rano, accompanied by high-ranking local officials, including the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Private Schools, Ibrahim Yaluwa, and the Local Council Caretaker Chairperson, Dahiru Yakubu.

However, the reception was hostile. Angry residents began stoning the delegation shortly after local government officials set up a tent outside the deposed Rano Emir’s palace, where the representative was to receive allegiance from village heads.

According to a resident, Sabiu Ibrahim, the delegation was forced to retreat to the local government secretariat under police protection.

“They entered the town through Kibiya Local Government Area instead of the main Kano road,” Ibrahim explained. “They ran to the local government secretariat, where he briefly stayed before being escorted out by the police.”

During the altercation, the official Prado SUV of the District Head of Rano, Mannir Abubakar, which transported the emir’s representative, was vandalized.

Additionally, motorcycles belonging to members of the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) in the area were damaged, as reported by resident Garba Rano.

Attempts to reach Kano Police spokesperson, Abdullahi Kiyawa, for comments were unsuccessful. Residents reported ongoing tension in Rano on Wednesday, with local hunters occupying the local government secretariat.

This incident marks the second such occurrence in less than a week.

In a similar event reported by Daily Trust, the emir’s representative was also attacked in Karaye, another scrapped emirate. As in Rano, the police had to evacuate the representative after his vehicle was severely damaged.

The crisis stems from the state House of Assembly’s repeal of the State Emirate Council Law 2019 on May 23.

This law, enacted by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, had split the Kano Emirate into five distinct units.

Its repeal dissolved the newly created emirates—Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye—and led to the dismissal of their emirs, returning Kano to a single emirate council.

One of the dethroned emirs, Aminu Ado-Bayero of Kano, is contesting his removal in court and has taken up residence in the mini palace of the emirate at Nassarawa GRA.