EndBadGovernance Protest: “How Governor Yusuf Ignited Violence And Looting In Kano”

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The duo of Abdullahi Abass and Rabiu Suleiman Bichi ,the Kano state Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC and Director General Tinubu/Shetima Campaign Council Kano State, on Friday August 2, 2024 collectively domiciled the blame for the orgy of violence, mindless looting, and vandalization visited on the commercial city particularly on day one of the #EndBadGovernance protest on the door steps of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

Although, coming from the other side of the political divide, the accusation comes with a measure of accuracy, at least, to keen watchers of events ,before August 1.

Before the organizers of the August 1 protest against hunger served notice of the exercise, many indices had indicated that the ever volatile Kano was not in a vantage position to soak even the smallest pressure from the protest.

For one, the temperature of the city had  already been raised to a near boiling point by the avoidable tension, anxiety, and brick-bat occasioned by the orchestrated  royal rumble over the coveted Kano Emirate Stool.

The royal crisis which, for the first time in decades,  has brought about the reign of two Emirs in Kano, was itself ignited by ego massaging, mainly from the Governor Yusuf- led administration.

Working in concert with a somewhat lame duck and rubber stamp House of Assembly, and being prodded on by a mentor with a clear over bloated ego, Governor Yusuf on Thursday July 23,  2024,  lit the tinder box with the dethronement of Emir Aminu Ado Bayero of Kano, and four others of Gaya, Rano, Karaye and Bichi.

There unceremonious deposition paved the way for Governor Yusuf to rail road Emir Muhammad Sanusi back to the Kano Royal Seat from which he was shoved aside  in 2020.

But ,while the other deposed Emirs of Gaya,Rano ,Bichi and Karaye decided to withdraw to their shells, not so for the elder scion of late Emir Ado Bayero who opted to battle it out with the Kano State Government and Emir Sanusi.

The result has been an institutionalization of two parallel Royal Palaces with Emir Bayero holding court at the Nasarawa Mini Palace, while Emir Sanusi is holed-up at the City Palace

Governor Yusuf and his political godfathers have since located the intransigence of Emir Bayero in the Federal Government’s subtle support.

His camp has pointedly accused President  Bola Tinubu of backing deposed Emir Bayero, and by extension, fanning the royal crisis.

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP, had even chided and warned the President, that his plans of reaping a political capital from the Kano Royal debacle will boomerang.

Against the backdrop of the bad blood already generated by the Kano Royal Stool crisis between the President Tinubu- led Federal Government and the Kano State authorities, it was no surprise that Governor Yusuf, without much reflections threw his weight behind the planned nationwide protest.

His clear obsession with using the planned protest to, in the main get even  with his traducer- in-chief, the Tinubu led – administration took precedence over all other more rational considerations.

But  while Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and some others that shared in the conviction to use the planned protest to get even with the Presidency, moderated their intentions, not so for Governor Yusuf.

Perhaps, being guided by the volatile trajectory of Kano, Kwankwaso had appealed for restraint, preferring, instead, for the people to explore the ballot to remove President Tinubu in 2027.

Conversely, while receiving the Local Leaders of the nationwide protest at the Government House on Wednesday, July 31, the Kano State Governor did not only explicitly endorse the protest, but also promised to receive the protesters at the State’s seat of power.

But in toeing his preferred line, the Governor chose to gloat over, the already polarized and charged atmosphere of the state along the supporters of the two contending forces for the kano royal stool.

The result manifested on day one of the protest with the city and its innocent residents bearing the brunt of an ill  conceived executive decision.

While Governor Yusuf could not muster the courage to receive the rampaging protesters, afterall, at the Government House as thoughtlessly promised, they proceeded to loot, destroy and vandalize  several private and public properties running into billions of Naira.

Of particular note were the vandalization, and looting of the NCC-ICT multi million Naira Building and several vehicles at the State’s High Court premises among others.

In all Kano, as widely anticipated by not a few, except Governor Yusuf, bore the larger part of the the rage and violence that characterized day one of the protest .

In their statement, Abbas and Bichi noted that the open attack on the Police and other Security Agencies by Governor Yusuf contributed to the violence that engulfed the State.

They cautioned the State Governor not to allow his personal grudges against some persons, including the State Commissioner of Police, to  undermine the security of lives and properties.

Governor Yusuf while addressing the leaders of the protest had, also, berated Security Agencies in the State over what he  termed their tendencies to be undermining his authority, and taking orders only from those at the Federal level.

He pointedly accused the Security Agencies, particularly, the Police, of insubordination and disrespect to his office, among other inflammatory statements.

“It was undiplomatic for a sitting Governor to openly attack the police authority which has been rendering its duties based constitutional provisions.

Governor Yusuf’s open invitation to protesters to the Government House ,coupled with his careless comments ,which undermines the authority of the police in Kano encouraged arson, looting  and violence during the protest'” Abbas and Bichi stated .

They also accused the Governor of trying to exploit the planned protest for political gains, which unfortunately back fired to the detriment of the image and economy of the state .

With the massive destruction of both private and public properties ,it thus appear that the hunter ,has become the hunted .