An early morning fire outbreak has burnt a section of the Gidan Rumfa palace of the 16th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II.

PUNCH Online gathered that the fire outbreak, which happened on Friday night, around 11 pm, was set by yet-to-be-identified persons.

A source, who spoke with Daily Trust, said the palace located at Kofar Kudu, where the Emir sits every Monday for the court, was seriously affected by the fire.

The source added that the throne, air conditioners, and other valuables were destroyed in the inferno.

“It was the palace at Kofar Kudu. You know the palace has an entrance from inside while the main entrance is from the front (outside). The key was forced open, and what was suspected was that they broke in, set the fire and locked the door.

“The throne, air conditioners and other valuables in the palace have been destroyed,” the source said.

However, the Chief of Staff to the Emir, Munir Sanusi Bayero, confirmed the incident in a statement, a copy of which was made available to The Punch on Saturday evening.

According to the statement, “It is hereby notified that on Saturday, July 13, 2024 morning, a fire incident occurred at the outer court of His Highness’s Palace, Kofar Kudu.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties, and the damage was minimal. The palace is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the palace and its occupants. We are also investigating the cause of the fire and taking steps to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.”

However, the Kano State Fire Service claimed they were not informed about the incident, as they didn’t receive any calls at their centres.