The new Emir of Kano Lamido Sanusi on
Sunday narrowly escaped being
arrested by security operatives at his
personal residence in Kano hours after
he was appointed to the coveted
throne.
A source who declined to be named for
security reasons said the Kano state
Government hurriedly sneaked Mr.
Sanusi out of his personal residence
after receiving intelligence that the
Federal Government was plotting to
arrest him to stop him from being
turbaned.
“It is true his royal highness did not
sleep in his house after information
came that there are moves to arrest
him for reasons we don’t know,” the
source said. “The governor had to
arrange for him to be smuggled into the
Government House where he passed
the night.”
It is not clear why the government
wanted to arrest the emir. The
spokesperson of the Kano state
command of the police, Magaji Majiya,
did not answer or return calls made to
his mobile telephone.
The spokesperson of the SSS, Marilyn
Ogar, could also not be reached for
comments.
Mr. Sanusi has however been having a
running battle with the administration
after he was, on February 20,
suspended from office as Governor of
the Central Bank of Nigeria by
President Goodluck Jonathan while he
was away in Niamey, Niger Republic, on
official assignment.
Upon his return to Nigeria, operatives
of the State Security Service, briefly
arrested and detained him, and also
confiscated his passport.
Mr. Jonathan had stated that Mr.
Sanusi was suspended over allegations
of financial recklessness by the
Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria,
FRC, an accusation Mr. Sanusi denied.
On May 3, SSS operatives at the Mallam
Aminu Kano International Airport again
prevented him from travelling out of the
country.
They also seized his passport again
despite his presentation of an order of
a Lagos High Court preventing the
government from harassing him and
restraining his movement.
The SSS had through its counsel stated
that it seized Mr. Sanusi’s passport
because he was being investigated for
sponsoring terrorism, a claim the court
described as an afterthought.
Appointment letter, other paraphernalia
of office in Emir’s kitty
Meanwhile, the new emir received his
appointment letter from Kano state
Government at the Government House,
Kano on Monday, according to the
spokesperson of Governor Rabiu
Kwankwaso, Baba Dantiye.
Mr. Dantiye however said the new emir
had not yet been turbaned.
“He has received his appointment letter
and other traditional stuff this morning,”
Mr. Dantiye said. “What is going on now
is preparation for his turbanning which
will take place any moment from now.”
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