Desmond Mgboh, Kano

The deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi 11 has finally accepted to leave the palace and his throne after hours of deadlock with security officials.

A top security officer who was part of the team that escorted him to the airport said that he departed the state through the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport at exactly 6.40 pm.

The source told Daily Sun that the deposed Emir left in an aircraft number N888E which was chartered by the Kano State government to convey the deposed monarch to his new abode.

Another chartered flight conveyed his entire household made up of his wives and children out of the state, he said.

According to the source, they were accompanied by about eight policemen who will most likely stay with them for a while in Nassarawa State

It was gathered that the flight will take them to Abuja airport from where they will travel by road to Nassarawa State.

Sources said that it was not easy getting the embattled monarch to accept the weight of what had happened, adding that he initially refused the security officials access to the palace.

According to the source, reason, however, prevailed after the security officers led by the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Habu Sani held discussions with some his influential friends of the monarch who were with him in solidarity at the time of his dethronement.

Among those who brokered the dialogue and helped achieve a headway were the former NBA president Barrister A T Mahmoud SAN and his Chief of Staff.

“Following their intervention, the deposed Emir accepted to submit to the request of the government to proceed on exile.

He then accepted to sign the letter from the government himself. Below his signature, he quoted a verse of the Koran in the said letter,” said the source.

“It was then that he requested for some minutes to pack some of his belongings. We waited for about 49 minutes before we commenced the journey to the airport,” said the security officer who saw the Emir out of Kano.