A fire outbreak has wreaked havoc in parts of the palace at Gidan Rumfa, where the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, lives.
Palace insiders revealed that the affected area was 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 it is suspected that they broke in, set the fire, and locked the door,” a source said.
The fire reportedly destroyed the throne, air conditioners, and other valuables within the palace.
Inspire of damage, the Kano State Fire Service was not informed.
Saminu Yusif Abudullahi, Public Relations Officer for the State Fire Service, said,
“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, Munir Sanusi Bayero, Chief of Staff to the 16th Kano Emir and 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 revealed that measures were being taken to ensure the safety and security of the palace and its occupants.
An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire and prevent future occurrences.
