It’s now an offence for families who lost their loved ones to organise wakes beyond 10 pm in Benue State.

The state has also prohibited farming on empty unfenced plots of land in front of any premises, on the street, or by the roadside within urban areas; farming on undeveloped areas of government offices or quarters or reserved areas as well as organising rallies beyond 10 pm among others.

The state governor, Hyacinth Alia, signed the executive order establishing the Department of Public Order in the Ministry of Justice to coordinate government policies and matters relating to public order on Friday.

Alia said the decision was to curb the widespread criminality and political violence such as kidnappings, murders, and intimidation against targeted groups or individuals leading to the emergency of local warlords and militia groups in the state.

During the ceremony on Friday at the Government House, Makurdi, Alia said the order was pursuant to Section 14 sub-section (2) of the 1999 constitution and Section 10 of the Public Order Act, CAP 382 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Sam Odeh, prohibited all acts in violation of public order in the state and called for strict adherence to the laws.

The proscribed public acts include ‘”disobedience to traffic rules, child labour and exploitation, all forms of prostitution, indiscriminate dumping of refuse on road dividers, open defecation and urination, demanding of marching ground levy from developers, building on water channels or structures, kiosks, shanties on the right of way, hawking or selling of goods of any kind by the roadside or on the road.

“Also prohibited is farming on empty unfenced plots of land or in front of any premises or on the street, or by the roadside within urban areas. Farming on undeveloped areas of government offices or quarters or reserved areas.

“From the commencement of the order, rallies, wakes and other forms of public gatherings should not be held beyond the hours of 10 pm in the state.”

The governor warned that any breach of the prescribed public rules would amount to a sanction between N20,000 and N500,000 fine or imprisonment, depending on the gravity of the offence.

“But any person or group wishing to hold a gathering beyond 10 pm are advised to first, seek and obtain a permit from the Department of Public Order at the Ministry of Justice,” he added.

The governor also announced the establishment of a Public Order Advisory Committee with the mandate to advise government on policies, restoration, attainment, preservation and maintenance of public order and safety in the state.

Also, a Public Order Committee was established to operate in all the local government areas by collaborating with the advisory committee and other stakeholders to enforce the prescribed public order laws.

The Kano state police command says it will obey the court order which ruled against the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi as Emir.

On May 23, a federal high court in Kano ordered the state government not to enforce the Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024.

The law repealed the 2019 version which was used to oust Sanusi.

The repealed law passed by the legislature, and assented to by the governor, restored the old order and invalidates the creation of five emirates.

Ruling in a suit filed by Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano emirate, Mohammed Liman, the judge, asked the defendants to “suspend” and “not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024 as they affect all offices and institutions of the Emirate Council created pursuant to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019”.

Addressing a press briefing at the headquarters of the command on Saturday morning, Usain Gumel, commissioner of police in Kano, said law enforcement will act in line with the ruling.

“The Police Command is expressly obeying the Court Order with SUIT No. FHC/KN/CS/182/2024 Dated 23rd May, 2024 issued by the Federal High Court sitting in Kano alongside ail Law Enforcement agents in the State,” Gumel said,
“Therefore, we are calling on members of the public to know that the Police in the State is working together with the military and other security agencies and are with full capacity for providing the adequate security to everyone as we are committed to carrying out our statutory duties as provided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Aminu Bayero, the deposed Emir of Kano, has moved into a palace in Nassarawa LGA after his return to the city in the early hours of Saturday.

Abba Yusuf, the Kano governor, ordered Bayero’s arrest after the monarch arrived in Kano to a hero’s welcome from a horde of his supporters.

A retinue of soldiers who have been providing protection for Bayero before he was dethroned, rode with him from the airport to the palace.

Bayero was replaced as Emir by Muhammadu Sanusi on Friday.

Sanusi was deposed in 2020 after falling out with Abdullahi Ganduje, then governor of the state.

The Kano house of assembly had repealed the 2019 law which was used to oust Sanusi and balkanise the emirate into five jurisdictions.

The new emirate law stipulated the sack of all the Emirs in the jurisdictions and a restoration of the old order — one Emir overseeing all of Kano.

Yusuf had given the sacked Emirs 48 hours to vacate their palaces.

The Emirs of Bichi, Rano, Karaye and Gaya have complied with the directive.