Kano residents in fear as armed hoodlums camp at Emir’s palace

Concerned residents of Rano town in Kano State have raised the alarm over the presence of armed hoodlums at the headquarters of the Emirate on Sunday.

In a letter addressed to the state Police Commissioner, a copy made available to The PUNCH on Tuesday revealed that the hoodlums had been camped at the Emir’s palace since Sunday by yet-to-be-identified persons.

It noted that the motives of the armed youths remain unknown, as their incursion is generally considered a threat to the security of lives and property.

The letter read in part, “In the evening of Sunday, July 7, 2024, Rano town, the headquarters of our beloved Rano emirate, was invaded by armed hoodlums,  believed to be sponsored by a yet-to-be-identified person (s), who camped at the Emir’s palaces (both the Main Place and historic Tsohon Gari Palace).

Although the motives of these arms-carrying machinery remain unknown, their intrusion is generally considered a threat to the security of lives and property and, at the same time, a disrespect to the ban by the Commissioner of Police on June 20, 2024, that all non-state security actors, including vigilance members and hunters, should desist from providing security services in the state.

According to the letter, residents of the Rano emirate are peaceful people known to always go about their businesses without creating trouble.

“It said over the years, the Rano emirate has experienced uninterrupted peace, and security agencies can testify to this.”

“The recent emirates tussle in Kano State, however, had brought about a lot of tension and discontent to the residents, as many felt that their opinions, as stakeholders, were not respected, the letter stated.

“This is connected to the fact that public hearings were not conducted throughout the State to establish whether there was a need to dissolve the four additional emirates (Rano, Gaya, Karaye, and Bichi) upgraded by the administration of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje in the state.

“Even with the above development, the residents of Rano emirate were able to control their emotions and acted within the confine of the law, as only legitimate peaceful demonstrations were carried out.’’

“The people exercised restraint because they believe in the judiciary since the Emirates case was before a competent court of justice.

“The good people of Rano emirate, as usual, had opted to respect the court’s order issued by the Federal High Court Kano on the case, which we believed is a constitutional duty of all citizens.”