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Curfew in Suleja emirate

Authorities in the northern state of Niger imposed a curfew on Sunday in the troubled emirate of Suleja, close to the capital Abuja, PANA reported.

The measure was imposed after angry youths demanding his dethronement burned the emir’s palace. The emir, title for the local religious leader, Awwal Ibrahim, has fled the town.

A one-time governor of Niger State, Ibrahim was first appointed emir in 1992 by the state government of the time, PANA reported, “but that decision was rescinded after violent protests from his opponents”.

A court ruling in Ibrahim’s favour failed to stop the government from installing his rival as emir. Ibrahim’s reinstatement in February triggered the latest crisis, PANA said.

The emirate is near the Niger State capital, Minna, home of Nigeria’s former military heads of state, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar.


This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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