A member of the Kano State House of Assembly, Abdul-Majid Umar was on Saturday attacked by a mob at an event attended by the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero.
The incident occurred during an annual prayer for peace and stability organised at Isyaka Rabiu’s residence in the Goron Dutse area of Kano.
Umar, who is the lawmaker representing Gwale local government area under the ruling New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), was seated beside the deposed emir at the event.
According to Leadership, tensions rose after the lawmaker left the venue with some people accusing him of supporting the bill that led to the Bayero’s dethronement and this led to a violent attack on the lawmaker.
Umar recounted the harrowing experience to BBC HAUSA stating, “After the deposed emir arrived at the event, his supporters started abusing me and my colleagues, accusing us of repealing the Emirate Council Law 2019 that led to the dethronement of the Emir.
“The deposed Emir stopped one of the palace guards who attempted to hit me. The deposed Emir himself used his hand to bounce back one of the palace guards and shouted at another who attempted to hit me.”
Feeling increasingly unsafe as the only government official present at the event, Umar decided to leave the event. “I became more disturbed after I left the venue as people armed with dangerous weapons attacked me. I hastily jumped into a police vehicle. That was how I was rescued from the attack. Two of my supporters were injured while we were leaving the venue,” he added.
However, a media aide to the deposed Emir, Khalid Adamu, refuted claims that the attackers were part of the emir’s entourage.
He insisted that although Bayero had many supporters present, none were armed.
There is ongoing strife in Kano following the lawmakers’ decision on May 23 to repeal the State Emirate Council Law 2019.
The law, enacted under former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, had created four new emirates, significantly altering the traditional emirate structure.
The repeal of the of law has continued to fuel tension in the state with the deposed Emir Bayero clinging to the throne at the Nasarawa Mini Palace while the reinstated Emir Mohammad Sanusi II occupies the main palace.
