Operatives of the Department of State Services have been spotted at the palace of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, on Thursday, amid growing rumours of the Emir’s imminent deposition.

This development follows the passage of the Kano State Emirates Council Amendment Law (Repeal Bill), 2024, by the Kano State House of Assembly on Thursday morning.

Newsmen who visited the palace around 11 am saw some DSS operatives stationed in the palace.

The Kano State Emirates Council Amendment Bill was considered on the floor of the House after scaling second and third reading on Thursday morning.

The assembly dissolved all four newly created emirate councils in the state.

Rumours suggest that this move could pave the way for the return of the deposed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido II.

The Kano house of assembly has repealed the law that created five emirates in the state.

During plenary on Thursday, the legislators passed the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill 2024.

In May 2019, the assembly approved the amendment of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, which paved the way for the balkanisation of the emirate.

The legislation was purportedly conceived to whittle the powers of Muhammadu Sanusi then Emir of Kano.

Subsequently, Abdullahi Ganduje, then governor of the state, signed the bill into law.

With the law, Kano was divided into five emirates — Kano, Rano, Gaya, Karaye and Bichi — with Emirs appointed into each emirate.

In March 2020, Ganduje deposed Sanusi as Emir of Kano “for total disrespect to lawful instructions from the office of the governor”.

During plenary last Tuesday, Lawan Hussaini Dala, the majority leader, moved a motion for the amendment of the law.

Dala said the law was not conceived in good faith, while raising concerns over the creation of the emirates.

Afterwards, the house resolved to amend the law.

The newly passed bill abolishes the five emirates and “all the appointments or offices arising therefrom”.

The Nigerian government is going to hold a “low-key” official ceremony to mark the one year in office of President Bola Tinubu, according to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

Mr Idris stated this on Wednesday at the ministerial press briefing series held at the Radio House in Abuja.

It is not clear if the government intends to hold the ceremony on 12 June, the day officially recognised as Democracy Day.

Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration was being held on May 29 before President Buhari changed it to 12 June in commemoration of the 12 June 1993, presidential election annulled by the military government.

Election data showed Moshood Abiola won the polls but he was never formally declared winner and was not sworn into office by the military government of Ibrahim Babangida.

Mr Tinubu, a major supporter of Mr Abiola, is believed to have played a major role in the change of the Democracy Day to 12 June.

Speaking on the plan for the one year in office, Mr Idris said the celebration is going to focus on sectorial debates instead of the usual celebrations.

“The anniversary is going to be low key, there would be no major ceremony but sectorial briefing by the ministers.

“The essence is to ensure that government funds are kept for the people,” the minister said.

He said the debate would be focused on eight key sectors of the government, and that ministers would be delegated to speak on different sectors.

He added that the ministerial briefing series will be taking place daily with different ministers briefing on the activities in their sector.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, had also indicated that the celebration would be low-key.