The Kano State Police Command prohibited all durbar events across the state on Thursday in preparation for the Eid-el-Kabir festivities.
The ban order was contained in a statement issued by Haruna Abdullahi, the state police public relations officer, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel.
There had been a conflict in the town following the state assembly’s rejection of Kano Emirate Council Law 2019, which resulted in the dethroning of the five emirs installed in 2020 by ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
The Assembly amended the Kano Emirate Council Law 2019 with a 2024 version, reuniting the five emirates and setting the path for the reinstatement of Lamido Sanusi as the 16th
Emir of Kano, succeeding Ado Bayero, the 15th Emir of Kano. While Sanusi was accepted as the new emir and lived in the main palace, Bayero continued to claim the throne but relocated to a tiny palace known as Nassarawa.
According to the reports, Bayero, in a circular issued on Tuesday by his senior counsellor and Galadiman Kano, Abbas Sanusi, invited district chiefs to attend him at the Gidan Nassarawa palace for the state’s Sallah Durbar celebration.
He told the district heads that he had received assurances of police security for the durbar, with an aide to the council verifying that the police had been served with the letter on the scheduled durbar, as well as an acceptance of receipt.
The Commissioner of Police, however, denied receiving a letter from Bayero.
According to a Kano source, Sanusi was slated to lead the Eid prayers during the Sallah festivities, and the developments from the Bayero camp could trigger a problem in the town.
To prevent a collapse in law and order and a conflict between supporters of the two claims to the throne, the police halted durbar operations.
“The Kano Police Command has placed a ban on all durbar activities throughout the state for the upcoming Eid-El-Kabir celebrations.
“In furtherance, a ban on all contending parties has been placed, restraining both from conducting Durbar activities for the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebrations,” the statement noted.
The police spokesman explained that the step was part of the state police command’s commitment to maintaining peace in collaboration with all key security players in the state.
“This measure is taken as a result of a series of security reports obtained and wide consultations made with relevant security stakeholders to ensure the safety of the larger community,” the statement said.
