Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State justified the arrest of the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, as a preventive measure to maintain law and order. The governor asserted that Ado-Bayero’s return to Kano shortly after his dethronement posed a significant security risk, necessitating his arrest. Yusuf was responding to accusations of executive recklessness made by Bala Ibrahim in an article titled “A Rendezvous with Recklessness and Executive Rascality.”
Governor Yusuf, through his spokesman, Sunusi Bature, defended his actions by referencing the repeal of the 2019 Kano Emirate Law, which he claims empowered him to dismantle the emirates established by his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje. Despite this defense, the Kano Federal High Court recently ruled that the state government must pay Ado-Bayero N10 million for violating his fundamental rights, including his personal liberty and freedom of movement.
Justice Simon Amobeda, citing Sections 35(1) and 41(1) of the 1999 Constitution, ruled that Yusuf’s order for Ado-Bayero’s arrest lacked lawful justification and resulted in an unlawful house arrest due to fear of apprehension.
Reacting via a statement, Bature said: “Does Bala Ibrahim actually understand the workings of government and governance? I do not want to go into judicial pronouncements, but the point I want to make clear is that the issue of Kano Emirship is straightforward with the repeal of the Kano Emirate Law (2019) and enactment of the Kano Emirate Law (2024), which gave Governor Yusuf the power to abolish the five emirates and return Kano to its glorious and historic position as one emirate.”
“This is the wish of the people of Kano State. The reappointment of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II did not also come to anyone as a surprise, because his dethronement (and consequent banishment) by Abdullahi Ganduje and his co-travellers was done out of malice.”
“Now, calling for the arrest of dethroned Emir Aminu Bayero was only done for the public good, as his entrance into Kano shortly after his dethronement posed a serious security threat which is being managed up till today. Governor Abba Yusuf remains the Chief Security Officer of Kano State, and no sane leader would fold his arms and watch Kano snowball into a state of anarchy without taking action.”
