A New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) lawmaker, Abdul-Majid Umar, representing Gwale Local Government Area, was attacked by a mob on Saturday at an event attended by the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero.
The incident occurred in the Goron Dutse area during an annual prayer for peace and stability organised by Tijjaniyya Muslim leaders.
The tension-filled event saw Umar seated beside the emir.
However, the atmosphere took a violent turn as he left the venue, with some members of his constituency accusing him of supporting the controversial bill that led to the dethronement of the emir.
According to Umar, who spoke to BBC Hausa Service on Monday, he was rescued by the deposed emir and the police after being attacked by what he described as “thousands of supporters of the deposed emir.”
The lawmaker recounted that the trouble began when supporters of the former emir started verbally abusing him and his colleagues, blaming them for repealing the Emirate Council Law 2019, which had facilitated the emir’s dethronement.
Umar highlighted a particularly tense moment when one of the palace guards attempted to hit him.
“The deposed emir stopped one of the palace guards who attempted to hit me.
He used his hand to bounce back one of the palace guards and shouted at another who attempted to hit me,” he narrated.
Realising the precariousness of his situation, Umar decided to leave the event.
However, he was attacked by people armed with dangerous weapons. “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.
In a conflicting account, Khalid Adamu, one of the media aides of the deposed emir, denied any involvement of Bayero’s entourage in the attack.
He asserted that while the former emir arrived at the event with many supporters, none were armed.
The Kano emirate tussle has its roots in the actions of the Kano State House of Assembly on May 23, 2024.
The lawmakers repealed the State Emirate Council Law 2019, a law under which former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had created four new emirates.
The repeal has since sparked significant political and social unrest within the state, highlighting the deep-seated tensions surrounding the emirate’s leadership.
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