Aminu Ado-Bayero was dethroned as the Emir of Kano on Thursday by Governor Abba Yusuf, despite a court order restraining the state government from doing so. However, Ado-Bayero was said to have returned to his duties after an enforcement by security agents.
The Nigerian Army has denied that it was involved in the Kano Emirate crisis, saying its troops did not enforce any court order regarding the tussle.
The crisis followed the recent sacking of five Kano emirates and the installation of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano. Sanusi was deposed by the former administration of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje in 2020.
Aminu Ado-Bayero was dethroned as the Emir of Kano on Thursday by Governor Abba Yusuf, despite a court order restraining the state government from doing so. However, Ado-Bayero was said to have returned to his duties after an enforcement by security agents.
There have been protests in Kano city following the development since the emirates were abolished.
But in a statement on Sunday evening, the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. General Onyema Nwachukwu said troops of the army were not involved in enforcing the court order.
He said, “Contrary to insinuations by the Kano state chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association as published by Premium Times on 26 May 2024, troops of the Nigerian Army have not been involved in the Kano state emirate tussle and are not involved in enforcing any court order.
“They have only taken proactive steps to checkmate any possible breakdown or breach of the security that may be occasioned by the Kano Emirship tussle.
“The issue of paramount concern to the Nigerian Army and other security agencies is the prevention of breakdown of law and order in the state, which could be taken advantage of by adversarial non-state actors.
“The military would imminently intervene when it becomes apparent that the intensity of the security situation becomes overwhelming for the police.
“All the Army is doing at this stage is to monitor the situation as it unfolds and be on standby in the event of any escalation that could threaten the security of the state and the region in general.”