A fire outbreak, suspected to have been set by unidentified persons, has destroyed parts of the palace at Gidan Rumfa, where the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, resides.
Sources within the palace reported 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,” said a source.
The fire reportedly destroyed the throne, air conditioners, and other valuables within the palace. Despite the severity of the damage, the Kano State Fire Service was not notified.
The State Fire Service Public Relations Officer, Saminu Yusif Abudullahi, stated, “The command was not aware of the incident as there was no call regarding the incident at any of the agency’s centres.”
However, confirming the incident, the Chief of Staff to the 16th Kano Emir, Munir Sanusi Bayero, who is the Dan Buram Kano, issued a statement 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,” he said.
The statement also emphasised that measures were being taken to ensure the safety and security of the palace and its occupants. An investigation was underway to determine the cause of the fire and prevent future occurrence.
