A mysterious inferno on Saturday razed a part of the palace at Gidan Rumfa, where the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, resides.
It was gathered that the fire outbreak, suspected to have been set by unidentified persons, also destroyed the Emir’s throne.
Palace sources said that the affected area was at Kofar Kudu, a section where the Emir 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 key was forced open and what was suspected was that they broke in, set the fire and locked the door,” a palace source said.
The fire also reportedly destroyed air conditioners, and other valuables within the palace.
But inspite of the severity of the damage done by the inferno, the Kano State Fire Service was not notified.
According to the State Fire Service Public Relations Officer, Saminu Yusif Abudullahi, “The command was not aware of the incident as there was no call regarding the incident at any of the agency’s centres.”
Chief of Staff to the 16th Kano Emir, Munir Sanusi Bayero, who is the Dan Buram Kano, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Saturday morning.
“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,” the statement partly read.
The statement stressed that measures were being put in place to ensure the safety and security of the palace and its occupants.
It also said investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire and prevent future occurrence.
