The Kano State government has challenged the authority of the state’s police commissioner to ban the celebration of Sallah festivities. In a statement, the Kano State Commissioner of Justice emphasized that the police commissioner does not have the jurisdiction to prohibit such celebrations.
The Justice Commissioner highlighted a recurring issue where the police commissioner has failed to comply with directives issued by the Governor, who serves as the Chief Security Officer of the state. The commissioner suggested that the police commissioner claims to act under higher authority.
In the statement, the Justice Commissioner raised several critical questions: “Who is undermining the authority of the Commander-In-Chief? How can directives be given to security chiefs in the state without consulting or obtaining approval from the Chief Security Officer or the State Security Council?” The commissioner expressed disbelief that the police commissioner issued an order banning the Eid-el-Kabir festivities without proper consultation, pointing out that the Governor only learned of the ban through social media.
The Justice Commissioner questioned the rationale behind banning the Sallah festivities in Kano, arguing that such an action is unreasonable. “How can anybody in their right mind ban Sallah festivities in Kano? When did the State Governor cease to be the Chief Security Officer of the State, only to discover such a ban on social media? Who is encouraging the State Commissioner of Police to override the authority of the Governor?”
The statement also criticized the police commissioner’s consistent refusal to follow the Governor’s legitimate instructions, alleging that he uses supposed orders from above as justification. The Justice Commissioner concluded by questioning the motive behind the police’s actions, asking, “What is the offence of Kano people that the Nigeria Police have targeted them for such measures?”