Kano State government did not banish the deposed Emir, Muhammad Sanusi II, from Kano, the Attorney-General of the state, Ibrahim Muktar, has claimed.
Muktar, while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday, said the state government was clear in its press statement on Monday that Sanusi was deposed but never made any reference to any banishment.
“If you listen to the Secretary to the State Government when he was addressing the press on the issue of the removal of the emir from office, there was no where he stated that the emir was banished from Kano State.
“So, the decision of the government when the emir was removed on Monday was that he was removed from office and a new one appointed. The issue of banishment was not part of the decision of the Kano State Government.
“We have been hearing from the media that he has been banished but what I know is that he was taken out of Kano State but banishment was not part of our decision. There is no such decision to the best of my knowledge.”
Muktar said security agents decided to whisk Sanusi away from Kano State due to intelligence reports they had.
He said it was normal practice for deposed emirs to be moved away to maintain peace in the state, adding that such an action was not in contravention of the constitution which guarantees freedom of movement.
The AG further stated that Sanusi was not removed because of the corruption probe but strictly because of insubordination.
He said, “The state government has not taken the law into its hands. Let me explain that the decision to remove the emir from office is administrative and was not based on the issues pending before the court. All the issues pending before the court have nothing to do with the removal of the emir or the dethronement.”
Sanusi was dethroned by the government on Monday following years of battle between the governor of the state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor.
He has been in Nasarawa State since his removal on Monday and has been denied access to visitors, according to his lawyers.
‘Sanusi was forced to Nasarawa’
The legal team of the deposed Emir said Sanusi had wanted to relocate to Lagos State after his removal but was forced into the place to Nasarawa by agents of the government.
In a statement on Tuesday, signed by Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud on behalf of the deposed emir’s legal team, said: “I was at the Palace yesterday [Monday] afternoon in the company of one of my colleagues to consult with the Emir.
“We met him in good spirit in company of his family and a few associates. He said to us that he was waiting for the deposition letter from the Government House and was informed that the Commissioner of Police was on his way along with certain government officials.
“I subsequently, along with my colleagues was able to meet with the Commissioner of Police and other security operatives and with the permission of the emir, they were led to one of his sitting rooms where the deposition letter was served on him by an agent of the State Government.
“In the letter of deposition, it was stated that the Emir was to be removed to Nassarawa State. We requested to know if he was under arrest and if so we needed to see the warrant.
“The Commissioner of Police informed us that he was not under arrest. We informed the Commissioner of Police that it was illegal and violation of his constitutional rights to remove him to Nassarawa State against his wish.
“The Emir informed the Commissioner of Police that his friends had sent an aircraft to fly him and his family to Lagos and requested that they should be provided with necessary security to the airport so that he could leave.
“The Commissioner refused, saying that was not their instruction.”
Sanusi is being held in the personal house of the Chairman of Awe Local Government Area in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Umar Dan-Akano.
Police respond
The Force headquarters in Abuja has denied any involvement in the banishment of the dethroned emir.
The Force spokesman, Frank Mba, said it was purely a state affairs, urging our reporter to speak with the Kano State Police command.
Daily Trust is currently making efforts to get a response from the Police Command in Kano.
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