Fall-Out Of Peace Meeting: FG To Return Emir Sanusi’s Seized Passport, Salaries

PHOTO CREDIT: PREMIUM TIMES

Following a peace meeting between the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II and President Goodluck Jonathan, the emir is to have his seized travel passport and withheld salaries returned.

The Kano Central Prison, which is in close proximity to the emir’s palace, is also to be relocated for security reasons.

All of these formed part of last Thursday’s rapprochement between the emir and President Jonathan.
It was learnt that the Presidency decided to have a “total reconciliation” with the traditional ruler as a means of ensuring his non-partisanship during next year’s general elections considering the emir’s perceived closeness to leading members of the opposition All Progressives Congress.

Citing a government source privy to details of the meeting between both men, The Nation reports that: “After the open meeting last Thursday, the President and the Emir met at the inner recess of the Presidential Villa for about five minutes.

“Some political leaders from Kano, who witnessed the session, were all excited that there is a new understanding between the President and the Emir.

“Prior to the meeting, there had been apprehensions on likely hostile crowd against the President in Kano during the 2015 campaign.

“With the rapprochement, the Emir’s travel passport and his withheld salaries and allowances will be paid. These are some of the gains of the meeting”.

“If the traveling documents are released, the Emir will be able to travel abroad for check-up and to meet his international friends who are desirous of investing in the Emirate”, the source said.

It would be recalled that the Department of State Security Service (SSS) had in February seized Sanusi’s – who was then Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) – passports.

In May, he was also prevented by the SSS from boarding a Turkish Airline flight to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah).
Prior to the seizure of the passports, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in April, had ruled that the seizure of Sanusi’s passport was illegal and unconstitutional and asked the Federal Government, the police and the SSS to release his travel documents forthwith.

Another benefit of the peace meeting, according to the source, is the relocation of the Kano Central Prison, which is over 80 years old, so as to protect the ancient city and the Emir’s Palace against recurring attacks by insurgents and other security threats.

This is based on security reports that the Emir’s Palace was usually under threats because of its proximity to the prison yard where some insurgents were being detained.

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