A DAY after a deadly attack on his palace convoy left his chauffeur and 3 of his personal aides dead, the Emir of the ancient city of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero and two of his sons were flown out of Nigeria for treatment on Sunday.
Although he was unhurt, two of his sons are reported to have suffered bullet wounds in what appeared to be an obvious attempt to eliminate him, possibly by Islamic extremists who had been threatening the peace and security of northern Nigeria in recent years.
At least six people have been reported dead in Saturday’s attack.
The city of Kano, northern Nigeria’s largest city, has seen a rise in incidents of violence in the last year, the worst being a series of deadly attacks on January 20, 2012 that resulted in the dead of at least 185 people.
A shocked Emir Bayero had made an emotional plea to the visiting President Goodluck Jonathan back then, appealing that the president should help protect people better from deadly attacks by murderous religious extremists.
A year later, the attacks continue unabated, threatening the life of the generally well-regarded Emir himself. Witnesses have said that the bravery of his guards may have saved the life of the octogenarian monarch.
Emir Bayero had been returning to his palace from a public event in the historic city when gunmen riding on motorbikes took advantage of a royal gun salute to fire at his convoy, killing his driver and others in the process.
He is reported to have been flown out of Nigeria, headed for the United Kingdom, through the the Amino Kano International Airport.