A fire outbreak, suspected to have been set by unidentified persons, has reportedly destroyed a section of the Gidan Rumfa palace where the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, resides. The incident occurred late Friday night around 11 PM.
Sources from the palace revealed that the fire severely affected the palace located at Kofar Kudu, a site where the Emir traditionally holds court sessions every Monday.
“It was the palace at Kofar Kudu. You know the palace has an entrance from inside while the main entrance is from the front (outside). The door was forced open and what was suspected was that they broke in, set the fire, and locked the door,” one source stated.
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According to the source, the throne, air conditioners, and other valuables within the palace were destroyed in the blaze.
Despite the severity of the incident, the Kano State Fire Service was not alerted. Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, confirmed that the command was unaware of the fire as no emergency calls were received.
However, the Chief of Staff to the Emir, Munir Sanusi Bayero, Dan Buram Kano, confirmed the fire in a statement. “On Saturday, 13th July 2024 morning, a fire incident occurred at the outer court of His Highness’s Palace, Kofar Kudu. Fortunately, there were no casualties, and the damage was minimal,” Bayero said.
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He assured that the palace is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of its occupants. “We are also investigating the cause of the fire and taking steps to prevent such incidents from happening in the future,” he added.
The Kano Emirate Council is working closely with security agencies to identify those responsible for the suspected arson and to bolster security around the historic palace.