Kano is currently experiencing heightened tensions following a formal request from the Inspector General of Police (IG), Kayode Egbetokun, for Muhammadu Sanusi II, the 16th Emir of Kano, to appear at the Force Intelligence Department (FID) headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
Speculation surrounds this invitation, with many believing it may be linked to an attack on the Emir’s entourage during recent Sallah celebrations. The state police have detained Usman Sagiru in connection with the alleged murder of vigilante member Surajo Rabiu, which occurred during the assault on Emir Sanusi II’s entourage.
Additionally, another vigilante, Aminu Suleman, was injured in the incident and subsequently taken to Murtala Muhammed Specialists Hospital in Kano for treatment. According to SP Abdullahi Haruna, the state police command spokesman, the violence erupted while local guards were escorting the Emir’s entourage from the Kofar Mata Eid prayer ground after the observance of the two rakat eid-el-fitr prayers.
The invitation letter, dated April 2, 2025, and referenced with number CR:3000/FID/FHQ/ABJ/VOL59/697, was issued by Commissioner of Police Olajide Rufus Ibitoye on behalf of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police for the FID in Abuja. The letter states: “I have the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, through the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID), to invite you for an investigative meeting regarding an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebrations within your domain.”
The official summons has ignited apprehension throughout Kano City and surrounding areas, with some locals interpreting it as a potential attempt by the federal government to impose a state of emergency in the region. A resident from the Dorayi quarters, who requested anonymity, remarked, “We perceive this invitation as an affront to our traditional institution and an effort to intimidate our Emir by the police, who failed to ensure our safety on Sallah day.”
He urged President Bola Tinubu and the federal government to prevent the police from instigating unrest in Kano State. Another anonymous resident expressed worries that the invitation could escalate tensions and possibly lead to a state of emergency. “What transpired on Sallah day was not a Durbar but rather a customary procession of the Emir from his palace to the Mosque, where it is normal for him to ride a horse, rather than walk,” he stated.
He cautioned against disrupting the peace in Kano, asserting, “Summoning Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II over trivial matters constitutes a violation of his fundamental human rights, and it will be met with resistance from the community.”
