Kano State Declares 24-Hours Curfew After Tribunal Sacks Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf

The Kano State government declared a 24-hour curfew across the state after a tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw elected Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's certificate.

New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) Minister Yusuf was declared as the winner after the March 11 governorship poll. INEC declared in March that NNPP received 1,019,602 and APC got 890,705 votes, making NNPP win the election by 128,897 votes.

However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) party's Nasir Gawuna filed a case against him as he wasn't happy with the results.

According to the judgment by the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, 165,663 ballot papers were not signed and stamped, hence, those votes were considered invalid. Therefore, Minister Gawuna has been made the governor of the state.

The acting National Chairman of the NNPP, Abba Ali reacted to the judgment on Wednesday and said, "The decision of the tribunal is a slap on the face of Constitutionalism and the rule of law and is capable of further discouraging the electorate from having confidence in the judiciary. The NNPP will appeal this most unfair judgment."

Meanwhile, Mohammed Gumel, the State Police Commissioner, said that the curfew will be effective from Wednesday 6:00 p.m. to Thursday 6:00 p.m. The curfew has been announced to avoid any breakdown of law and order in the state after sacking Governor Yusuf from his position.

"A 24-hour curfew order has been communicated by the state government via letter with reference no: K/SEC/H/435/T.1/153 dated 20th September 2023 taking effect from 6 pm of Wednesday, 20th September to 6 pm of Thursday, 21st September 2023," Commissioner Gumel said, Punch reported.

He went on to share that the Nigeria Police Force alongside the relevant internal security and law enforcement agencies have joined hands to preserve law and order in the state.

The commissioner noted that the Kano State Police Command "has mapped out strategies in that direction and called on the good people of the state to give the necessary confidence and support."

Gumel further informed the residents of the state that "combined security forces have already been dispatched to the nooks and crannies including the entry and exits of the state to ensure enforcement and strict compliance of the curfew," adding that violators will be immediately arrested and face the full wrath of the law.

The police commissioner appreciated all the peace-loving people in the state and urged them to remain "law-abiding as it's in the best interest of all that we come together to maintain law and order in the state."

Ahead of the curfew timings, the shopkeepers across the major markets including shopping plazas shut their shops and residents also rushed to their homes as the tribunal invalidated Kabir Yusuf as Kano State governor.