Emir Of Kano Replies Boko Haram...My Life Is In Allah's hand

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, has dismissed threats to his life by the outlawed militant Islamist sect, Boko Haram, anchoring his confidence on a divine protection from any evil.

The monarch, who was presiding over a special prayer session at the Kano City Central Mosque (a.k.a. Masallacin Sarki) on Friday, said he remained protected against any evil attack and that nothing, except if it was willed by Allah, would happen to him.

“I am protected and nothing is going to happen to me,” Emir Sanusi said.

He also said that it was rather unacceptable for people to abandon their daily activities and/or desert places of worship because of the fear created by evil-doers, and urged all not to succumb to fear and be their brothers’ keepers.

He reiterated his earlier call for the general public to protect themselves against the attacks of Boko Haram terrorists.

The sect’s spokesman Shekau had, in a recently released 20-minute video, labelled the emir a “fake Muslim”. “I am talk¬ing to you, the emir of Kano, because of your recent utter¬ances,” Shekau said in the video featured on the site of the Hausa service of the BBC at the weekend.

“Listen to me, you are only but the King of Kano, King of Central Bank, King of money, you are only Sanusi Lamido. Because you are made the emir of Kano that is why you called on the vigilante groups and hunters to attack us but the hunters and the vigilante groups will fail you. We would kill you and take your people as hostages.”

Also commenting on Shekau’s position in attacking religious groups, Muhammad Sanusi II urged all Muslim faithful and the followers of Tijjaniyya, Qadiriyya and Izala religious movements to be vigilant against the insurgents’ attacks. “I am appealling to people to be vigilante and protect their mosques, churches, markets and hospitals against any attack and people to report to security operatives any suspicious action and be courageous enough to apprehend anybody with suspicious character or moves,” he had appealed.

Meanwhile, the imams of Kano mosques have likened Shekau’s comments describing members of Qadiriyya sect as unbelievers to those of the Maitatsine, a sect crushed by Nigerian soldiers in the 80s.

The chief Imams had echoed Sanusi’s call on the people, especially the youths, to protect themselves and their immediate environments from attacks of Boko Haram.

Similarly, various Izala and Tijjaniyya sect jumaat mosques in the city have urged their followers to be vigilant against the insurgents.