Ribadu denies helping dethroned emir return to Kano

The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) has denied an allegation that the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, helped the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, to return to Kano on Saturday.

The Kano State Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdulsalam, had claimed Mr Ribadu provided two aircraft for the return of Mr Ado Bayero to the city at 4.30 a.m. on Saturday.

“The National Security Adviser gave two jets to bring the dethroned emir to Kano and to bring him to the palace,” the deputy governor said.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, however, the spokesperson of the office of the NSA, Zakari Mijinyawa, said the allegation was untrue. He said Mr Ribadu did not provide the aircraft that returned Mr Ado-Bayero to Kano.

He urged politicians to be mindful of their utterances as they may jeopardise t efforts by security agencies to maintain peace in the state.

“I read the comments on social media, it is untrue. The NSA did not provide air transport to anyone to Kano.

“Political actors should desist from misinforming the public as law enforcement officials in the state strive to maintain peace and order,” Mr Mijinyawa said.

Governor Yusuf reinstated Lamido Sanusi, the 14th emir of Kano, four years after he was removed by the immediate past administration of Abdullahi Ganduje.

The reinstatement of Mr Sanusi followed the repealing of the state’s Emirate Council Law 2019 that created five emirates councils and five first-class emirs.

The governor subsequently announced the reinstatement of Mr Sanusi on Thursday. But the Federal High Court restrained the state government from implementing the new emirate council law that reinstated Mr Sanusi.

The security agencies in the state have also asked the parties involved in the crisis to obey the court order and vowed to maintain peace and order.