The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has reversed an earlier directive summoning the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, to Abuja for questioning, following rising concerns over the political and cultural implications of such a move. Instead, the IGP has instructed that any necessary statement from the traditional ruler be obtained in Kano.
The development marks a strategic shift by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and may help defuse growing tensions surrounding the Emir’s recent statements and engagements, which have stirred debate in both political and religious circles.
A senior police source told TheLink News that the decision was made “to avoid unnecessary escalation” and out of “respect for the cultural weight of the Emir’s institution.” The reversal also follows quiet consultations with traditional leaders and Northern political figures who reportedly cautioned against what they saw as an avoidable provocation.
The Emir had initially been summoned to Abuja over undisclosed matters, though sources familiar with the case suggested it related to his public remarks during recent engagements and his increasing visibility in political discourse, especially on governance and economic policy.
Security experts have described the IGP’s climbdown as a pragmatic move. “This is less about the Emir personally and more about the wider implications of summoning a revered monarch to the capital,” said security analyst Hassan Gidado. “It could have been interpreted as harassment or intimidation, which might spark backlash in the North.”
The role of traditional rulers in Nigeria remains both symbolic and politically delicate. While they hold no formal constitutional power, their influence, especially in regions like Kano is considerable.
Muhammadu Sanusi II, a former Central Bank Governor and outspoken critic of government inefficiency, has long been a polarizing figure. Since his reinstatement as Emir following political shifts in Kano State, his growing prominence has reignited old tensions between those who see him as a reformer and those who view him as politically overactive for a traditional monarch.
This incident is the latest chapter in a long-running saga involving the Emir, the federal government, and shifting power dynamics in Kano.
With this decision, the IGP appears to have chosen discretion over confrontation. It remains unclear whether Emir Sanusi will formally provide a statement to the police or what the subject of that statement would be. The police have not officially disclosed the reason for the original summons.
For now, calm appears to have been restored, though insiders say the situation is being closely watched both in security and political circles.
The police leadership’s reversal may have averted a flashpoint—but the tension between tradition, politics, and federal authority is far from resolved. As Nigeria approaches a politically sensitive period leading to 2027, such decisions will continue to test the balance between state power and traditional legitimacy.
