Emir of Zazzau
A fresh round of turmoil has hit the Zazzau Emirate as the Kaduna State House of Assembly has received a formal petition calling for the removal of the 19th Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli.
The petition, submitted by deposed Wazirin Zazzau, Ibrahim Muhammad-Aminu, accuses former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai of unlawfully appointing Bamalli in November 2020 in defiance of traditional procedures and existing state laws.
In the document addressed to Speaker Yusuf Dahiru-Liman, Muhammad-Aminu claimed that the legitimate selection process conducted by the Zazzau kingmakers was disregarded. He noted that the process was carried out in line with the customs of the Zazzau Emirate and the Kaduna State Chiefs (Appointment and Deposition) Law.
According to the petitioner, the three candidates shortlisted by the kingmakers were:
Alhaji Bashir Aminu (Iyan Zazzau)
Alhaji Muhammad Munir Ja’afaru (then Yariman Zazzau, now Madakin Zazzau)
Aminu Shehu Idris (Turakin Zazzau)
“Ambassador Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli was not among the nominees submitted to the government,” Muhammad-Aminu stated. “His emergence as Emir was a clear imposition by the former governor, in blatant disregard for our traditions, customs, and legal frameworks.”
The former Waziri further alleged that he was unjustly removed from his traditional title, arrested, and arraigned without cause. He said his position was subsequently handed to another individual, Alhaji Inuwa Aminu, even though the title of Waziri is traditionally held for life and cannot be arbitrarily revoked.
He urged the state assembly to:
Recommend the reversal of Bamalli’s appointment as Emir of Zazzau
Reinstate him as the rightful Waziri of Zazzau
Order the payment of all entitlements owed to him since his removal
Protect the customs and conventions guiding traditional institutions in Northern Nigeria
Muhammad-Aminu also argued that the Emir’s appointment contravenes Kaduna State Gazette No. 9 Vol. 54 of October 7, 2020, and undermines the integrity of the Zazzau Emirate’s long-standing heritage.
“This petition is not merely about a title—it is about justice, tradition, and the need to preserve the sanctity of our institutions,” he concluded.
