Armed Security Personnel Take Over Kano Emir’s Palace

Armed security operatives have taken over the main Palace of the Kano Emir at Kofar Kudu in the early hours of Friday restricting people from going into and coming out of the palace.

The heightened security presence comes as Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II was scheduled to accompany Alhaji Munir Sanusi, the newly-appointed Wamban Kano, to his district posting in Bichi.

Bichi is one of the four emirates created during the tenure of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, which were later dissolved by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

Sources also confirmed that the Bichi Emir’s Palace is under tight security, with armed policemen deployed to the area.

The reasons behind the heightened security presence remain unclear as of the time of this report.

Efforts to reach the Kano State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna, were unsuccessful as his phone was unreachable.

Many traditional rulers and title holders were stranded at the Kano Emir’s palace following the takeover of the palace by armed personnel.

PUNCH Online observed that most of the stranded traditional rulers had to abandon their vehicles inside the palace and trekked to the central mosque for the Friday prayers.

As of the time of filing this report, security operatives deployed to the palace have continued to keep vigil as human and vehicular movement had been restricted around the palace.

A source at the palace told PUNCH Online that the monarch was still in the palace as most of the visitors had left the palace to attend the Friday prayers.