A member of the Kano State House of Assembly, Abdul-Majid Umar, was attacked on Saturday by a mob at an event attended by the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero.
The incident happened during an annual prayer for peace and stability at Isyaka Rabiu’s residence in the Goron Dutse area of Kano.
Umar, who represents Gwale local government area under the New Nigerian Peoples Party, was seated next to the deposed Emir during the event.
The trouble started after Umar left the event. Some people accused him of supporting a bill that led to the Emir’s dethronement, which sparked the violent attack.
Umar described his experience to BBC HAUSA, saying, “After the deposed emir arrived at the event, his supporters started abusing me and my colleagues, accusing us of repealing the Emirate Council Law 2019 that led to the dethronement of the Emir.”
He continued, “The deposed Emir stopped one of the palace guards who tried to hit me. The deposed Emir himself used his hand to push back one of the guards and shouted at another who tried to hit me.”
Feeling threatened as the only government official at the event, Umar decided to leave. He said, “I became more disturbed after I left the venue as people armed with dangerous weapons attacked me. I quickly jumped into a police vehicle. That was how I was rescued from the attack. Two of my supporters were injured while we were leaving the venue.”
However, Khalid Adamu, a media aide to the deposed Emir, denied that the attackers were part of the Emir’s entourage. He stated, “Although Emir Bayero had many supporters present, none of them were armed.”
The tension in Kano has been high since May 23, when the lawmakers repealed the State Emirate Council Law 2019.
This law, enacted by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, had created four new emirates, changing the traditional emirate structure.
The repeal has led to ongoing strife, with the deposed Emir Bayero still at the Nasarawa Mini Palace and the reinstated Emir Mohammad Sanusi II at the main palace.
