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,
Premium Times reports.
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.
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.”
Premium Times
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