Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State on Friday sacked the Commissioner of Lands and Physical Planning, Adamu Kibiya, and his Special Adviser on Youth Development, Aliyu Yusuf-Imma.

The two officials had in a viral video, reported to have disparaged Vice President Kashim Shettima and threatened to kill judges of the state governorship election petition tribunal if they upturned the election of Governor Yusuf.

Speaking during a solidarity rally by the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano, the commissioner on Thursday issued a warning to the judges hearing the appeal for the state’s governorship election.

“Any judge that allows himself to be used and collect bribes and pass judgement that is not right, we want to tell him; he must choose between his life and the bribe money he collected,” Mr Kibiya was quoted by a Channels TV report.

The event was a special prayer by supporters of the governor for the tribunal judgement to be in their favour.

Mr Kibiya threatened that if the judges’ ruling didn’t favour the NNPP, insecurity would be worse in Kano than the banditry situation being currently experienced in Kaduna, Zamfara, and Katsina.

“You have seen the conflict (banditry) in Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina. I swear because of this governorship seat, everyone will die. The conflict that will start in Kano will be deadlier than the ones in those states and Borno,” he warned. 

The viral video had attracted condemnation across the country with some calling for the arrest and prosecution of the duo.

The governor has distanced himself from the “unguarded utterances”, according to the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Baba Halilu-Dantiye.

The commissioner said at a press conference in Kano that the governor had sacked the two officials with immediate effect.

“Kano State Government has respect for Vice President Kashim Shettima and the judiciary; henceforth no government official should talk on any issue outside his ministry or agency,” Mr Halilu-Dantiye said.

He urged people of the state to be law abiding and respect the rule of law.

(NAN)