The Kano State Government has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order the removal of Emir Aminu Ado Bayero from the Nasarawa Palace in Kano, citing the need to restore peace and stability.

The government alleged that certain individuals were exploiting the emir’s continued presence in Nasarawa Palace to fuel unrest across the state.

Speaking at the Kano Government House during the distribution of relief materials provided by Tarauni Federal Constituency Representative, Hon. Kabiru Dahiru Sule, the Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, reiterated the administration’s stance, calling on the president to intervene.

“We are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove the emir he enthroned and kept in a graveyard,” Gwarzo said.

“The people of Kano, especially the youth, are tired of this nonsense. It is shocking that in a democratic setting, security forces are being deployed to fire teargas at peaceful protesters, with some reports even alleging the use of live ammunition.

“In the evening, military vehicles patrolled the city, even parking in front of my house. But we want to make it clear that there is no intimidation. This is a democracy, and democracy must be upheld, whether some people like it or not. We stand firmly with the youth who took to the streets to express their grievances.

“The president should remove the emir he appointed and take him to his own state. Kano already has an emir and that’s Muhammadu Sanusi II. Today, regardless of who you are, even if you are the ‘Emir of the World,’ you cannot appoint an emir in Kano unless you are Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.”

Gwarzo further asserted that keeping Emir Aminu Ado Bayero in Nasarawa palace is a deliberate attempt to destabilize the Kano State Government and hinder its ability to govern effectively.

The deputy governor acknowledged the recent protests by Kano residents, emphasizing that peaceful demonstrations are a fundamental right in a democratic society.

He condemned the security forces’ actions in dispersing protesters and arresting some of them, insisting that the people of Kano have the right to demand the removal of Emir Bayero.

He reiterated the state government’s demand for President Tinubu to act swiftly in removing Emir Bayero.

The Kano State Government emphasized that the law facilitated the appointment of the former Emir, and the same law has now reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II. Therefore, the government insists that the rule of law must be upheld and allowed to take its course.

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has directed Muslims in the country to start looking out for the new moon of Ramadan 1446 AH today.

The Sultan urged those who sight the crescent of the new moon to report the sighting to the nearest district or village head for onward communication to the NSCIA president general.

A statement yesterday in Sokoto by the Sultanate Council Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Prof. Sambo Wali Junaidu, reads: “This is to inform the Muslim Ummah that Friday, February 28, 2025, which is equivalent Sha’aban 29, 1446 AH, shall be the day to look for the new moon of Ramadan 1446 AH.”

The statement also prayed Allah to help Muslims to peacefully and successfully discharge the religious duty.

The Federal Government (FG) says it plans to regularise electricity tariffs of Bands B, C and A customers to ensure a more efficient and reliable power sector,

The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, said this at the Public Presentation of the National Integrated Electricity Policy and Nigeria Integrated Resource Plan in Abuja on Thursday.

The ministry put the document in place with the support from UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the UK Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that under the current structure, customers in Band B, who enjoy 18 to 17 hours of electricity supply pay N63 per kilowatt-hour.

Those in Band A, with only two hours more of supply, are charged N209 per kilowatt-hour

Adelabu said that in 2024, the power sector adopted cost reflective tariff for a portion of electricity consumers about 15 per cent, it might look small but it is a way forward.

“It was pilot and a proof of concept which I believe it had worked the people that are enjoying 20 to 24 hours of electricity supply in a day are happy.

“ They are satisfied in spite of the fact that they are paying N209 per kilowatt-hour as they believe they are better off than when using generators.

“We believe that as we continue to work on revamping our distribution and transmission infrastructure, more and more people will be migrated to Band A,“ he said.

Adelabu also said that as a result of the migration of some customers to Band A, the power sector recorded a 70 per cent growth in its revenue from N1.05 trillion in 2024 to about N1.7 trillion.

The minister said: “We will look at the tariff again. I am not saying that we’re going to increase the tariff before I am misquoted.

” We are going to look at the tariff and see how we can improve on our modest achievement of 2024 not only to grow the sector revenue.

` But to also ensure that we are able to invest more in revamping the dilapidated infrastructure in the power sector so that they can carry the kind of reliable electricity we envisage for the power sector.

“We thought the migration of Band B and C customers will be faster that this but the Electricity distribution Companies (DisCos) have refused to invest in the power sector, ” he said.

According to him, a lot of investment was required to achieve accelerated migration of lower-band customers into Band A.

He said that the reqularisation of the tariff Band B and C customers to Band A would be done at a slow pace.

NAN