The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the withdrawal of the earlier invitation extended to the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II in connection with the violent incident during Sallah celebrations in Kano State on March 30, 2025.
Sanusi was initially summoned to provide his account of the events that led to the breakdown of law and order following the controversial horse-riding procession he led after Eid Prayers—an act the Police said contravened prior security arrangements.
In a letter addressed to him, and signed by the Commissioner of Police, Olajide Ibitoye, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, Sanusi was asked to appear at the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja on Tuesday, April 8, to answer some questions regarding the incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within his domain. The letter was dated April 4, 2025.
However, Egbetokun directed that the operatives of the Force Intelligence Department should obtain Alhaji Sanusi’s statement discreetly having been dispatched to Kano regarding the incident.
Egbetokun, who gave the directive through the spokesman of the police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the withdrawal became imperative following the intervention of some stakeholders in the country.
The top cop also said his resolve was in line with the police’s commitment to ensuring that policing actions are not politicised or misinterpreted.
He added the IGP had earlier deployed the Coordinating DIG for the North West, DIG Abubakar Sadiq, to engage the two disputed emirs—Alhaji Ado Bayero and Alhaji Lamido Sanusi—as well as the Kano State Government, in a bid to prevent parallel Durbar festivals and potential clashes.
“It was mutually agreed that no Durbar festival would be held to preserve peace and public safety and none of the disputed emirs will ride on horse on Sallah day,” he said.
Adejobi said despite this agreement, Sanusi, who had arrived at Eid grounds by car, mounted a horse after prayers and proceeded in a procession accompanied by local vigilantes.
“This triggered a confrontation by youths in the community, leading to the tragic death of one Usman Sagiru, and leaving several others injured, a situation which the Force had earlier warned against and intended to avert by the emissaries sent earlier to both Alhaji Sanusi and Alhaji Ado Bayero,” he added.
Adejobi, who further said the Police condemned the breach of agreement and vowed to continue their investigation with professionalism and impartiality, added that arrests had already been made in connection with the incident.
Meanwhile, the earlier decision by the Police Command in Abuja to summon the Emir of Kano has sparked widespread concern, with many viewing it as an attempt to escalate tensions in the politically sensitive state.
Critics, including civil society groups and traditional institution advocates, have described the move as suspicious and potentially aimed at destabilising Kano, possibly paving the way for a state of emergency.
The Assembly for the Preservation of Traditional Institutions in Nigeria condemned the police invitation, questioning its necessity given that an investigation is already underway by the Kano Police Command.
The group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Alhaji Yahya Nda Musa, expressed fears that the action was part of a broader agenda to undermine the emirate.
The controversy came amid a backdrop of political wrangling over the Kano Emirate.
Emir Sanusi II, who was deposed in 2020 and later reinstated, remains a polarising figure. Supporters of the emir argue that the police are being used as political tools, especially following the restriction on durbar activities during the 2025 Sallah period.
Despite the ban, the emir observed Sallah rituals—visiting his mother and the state governor—though he did so by car instead of the traditional horseback, sparking further debate on whether this violated the police directive.
