Army: We’re not involved in Kano emirship tussle — troops there to maintain order

The Nigerian Army says it is not involved in the emirate tussle in Kano.

The army also said soldiers are not in Kano to enforce any court order.

Muhammadu Sanusi was reinstated as Emir on Friday by Abba Yusuf, Kano governor, at a colourful ceremony in government house.

The Kano house of assembly had repealed the law which Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor of the state, used to depose and exile Sanusi in 2020.

The repeal paved the way for the reinstatement of Sanusi and the dethronement of Aminu Bayero.

On May 23, a federal high court in Kano ordered the state government not to enforce the Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024.

Bayero returned to Kano from a trip to Ogun on Saturday and moved into a palace in Nassarawa LGA.

Abba Yusuf, the Kano governor, ordered Bayero’s arrest “for creating tension in the state”.

A detachment of soldiers have been keeping watch over the Nassarawa palace since the arrest order.

On Saturday, Usaini Gumel, commissioner of police in Kano, said security agencies would obey the court order on Sanusi’s reinstatement.

There have been insinuations that the army has taken sides in the tussle given the presence of soldiers in and around the Nassarawa palace.

In a statement on Sunday, Onyema Nwachukwu, the army spokesperson, said the army’s mission in Kano is to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

“Contrary to insinuations, troops of the Nigerian Army have not been involved in the Kano state emirate tussle and are not involved in enforcing any court order,” the statement reads.

“They have only taken proactive steps to checkmate any possible breakdown or breach of the security that may be occasioned by the Kano Emirship tussle.

“The issue of paramount concern to the Nigerian Army and other security agencies is the prevention of breakdown of law and order in the state, which could be taken advantage of by adversarial non-state actors.

“The military would imminently intervene when it becomes apparent that the intensity of the security situation becomes overwhelming for the police.

“All the Army is doing at this stage is to monitor the situation as it unfolds and be on standby in the event of any escalation that could threaten the security of the state and the region in general.”