Emir of Kano Attcked, 2 sons injured, flown to the U.K

Unknown gunmen on Saturday attempted to assassinate the 82-year-old emir of Kano, Nigeria the 2nd most senior Muslim leader, in a raid on his convoy that killed four people.

The emir, Ado Bayero, survived the attack by assailants who reportedly fired at him from motorbikes and a car while he was returning home from a function at a mosque in Kano, northern Nigeria’s largest city. The Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero along with two of his injured sons and some aides have been flown to the United Kingdom a day after his convoy was attacked on his way back to his Palace after attending a Quranic recitation competition.

It was reported that the Emir left the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano in a private jet which took off around 1:15 p.m. on Sunday.

4 Arrested Over Attack On Emir’s Convoy

Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack on the convoy of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, it emerged yesterday.

The deputy governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, also confirmed the arrest to AFP yesterday but declined to give numbers.

This comes as the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III , condemned the attack, describing the attackers as cowards.

The Senate President, David Mark, the Northern Governors’ Forum, and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) were also among those who condemned the attack yesterday.

Kano State deputy governor Abdullahi Ganduje said some suspects have been arrested over the attack but he declined to say how many.

But a security source said on condition of anonymity that four suspected members of Boko Haram sect have been arrested, claiming that one of them had allegedly confessed to participating in the attack on the emir’s convoy.

Meanwhile, the death toll in an attack by gunmen on the convoy of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, has risen to five, the police said yesterday.

“The interim chairman of Kura Local Government Area and his driver were also killed by some gunmen who pursued them from the scene of the attack on Emir Ado Bayero,” Kano police spokesman Magaji Majia also told AFP.

Kano State Governor Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso had earlier told AFP that three people in the emir’s convoy were killed in the Saturday attack.

The unknown gunmen opened fire on the emir and his convoy as they were returning from a Qur’anic graduation ceremony in Kano city.

The politician, Salisu Abdullahi Kura, and his driver had left the convoy in the confusion that followed the attack but were trailed by the gunmen in a cab and shot dead in a nearby street, Majia said.

The 82-year-old Bayero, who was not hurt in the attack, flew out of the country to the United Kingdom yesterday along with his two sons injured in the attack, an official in his palace said.

“The emir left for London around 1:15 pm  to cool off after the traumatising event of yesterday,” said the official.

Security was tightened yesterday in Kano, following the attack. Armed soldiers and policemen patrolled the streets and intensified their search on vehicles at checkpoints in the city.


Source: Leadership

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday said he would stop at nothing in bringing to justice those responsible for the attack on the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, which claimed the lives of four of his aides last Saturday.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, the president, who noted that the attack on the Emir underscored the need for all Nigerians to be vigilant to the security challenge posed by terrorist group in the country, said the attack was senseless in all ramifications.

He said, “Once again, terrorism reared its ugly head when gunmen attacked the revered Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero on Saturday 19 January 2013.

The unfortunate incident which led to the regrettable death of three persons including three of his security guards and his driver underscored the continuing need for collective vigilance to defeat the scourge of terrorism which has crept into our environment.

“While we condemn this in the strongest possible terms, this once again underlines the senselessness of terrorism in all its ramifications. Channels