Police ban Eid-el-Kabir durbar in Kano
The Kano Command of the Nigerian Police Force has announced a ban on all Durbar activities across the state during the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, citing security concerns.
The announcement comes just hours after the Kano Emirate Council issued a circular inviting traditional leaders and their horsemen to participate in the annual Sallah Durbar festivities.
In a statement released on Sunday and jointly issued with sister security agencies, the police congratulated Muslim faithful and law-abiding residents ahead of the Eid celebrations, while urging strict adherence to public safety directives.
The police noted that following credible intelligence and prior security assessments, all forms of Durbar activities remained banned throughout the state, a measure earlier announced during the last Eid-el-Fitr and still considered necessary due to ongoing threats.
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“The threats which prompted the earlier decision are still potent and have not been fully neutralised,” the statement read. “There are intelligence reports indicating plans by miscreants and their sponsors to hijack the Durbar celebration and use it to undermine public peace, as recorded during the last Sallah festivities.”
To maintain law and order, the Command outlined a series of restrictions, including a ban on horse or animal riding (Kilisa); ban on car racing and reckless driving; prohibition of unlawful possession or display of firearms or weapons and warning against carrying dangerous or suspicious items in public.
The police also called on parents and guardians to caution their wards against being recruited by “subversive elements,” stressing that security agencies would enforce the directives to the letter.
The statement urged citizens to embrace the spirit of the season with responsibility, adding: “As we celebrate this joyous occasion, let us pray for the peace and progress of Kano State, Nigeria, and for the souls of the athletes recently lost in a tragic road accident returning from the National Sports Festival.”
