Nigeria: Kano Emirate Crisis - Governor Orders Arrest of Protesters

The governor said enemies of the state are planning to cause a breakdown of law and order.

The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, has imposed restrictions on all public gatherings intended for protest within the state.

The governor's spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, in a statement on Wednesday, said the directive was an exercise of the authority vested in the the governor as the chief security officer of the state

"By virtue of his position, the governor has directed the Police, the Directorate of State Security Services, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps to apprehend, detain, and prosecute any individual or group partaking in demonstrations on the streets of Kano.

"This decisive action is a preemptive strategy aimed at averting any potential breakdown of law and order orchestrated by adversaries of the state.

"We are privy to credible intelligence indicating that certain prominent figures from the opposition party in Kano have devised plans to sponsor student associations and political agitators from other northwestern states to incite chaos under the guise of advocating for the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero."

"The state government has explicitly outlawed protests, demonstrations, or processions of any kind, and individuals found on the streets of Kano engaging in such activities will be promptly apprehended.

"Through this declaration, we caution student groups against being manipulated by troublemakers who are resolute in fomenting disorder in Kano."

"The governor urged all citizens of the state to carry on with their normal activities as the state retains its tranquility, and the government will persist in vigilant oversight of the situation to promptly address any individuals or factions trying to undermine the relative peace that state presently enjoys," the statement highlighted.

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