The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Friday joined other national and state leaders in mourning the late Emir of Gumel, His Royal Highness Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Muhammad Sani II, CON, who died on Thursday, 3 September 2026, in Cairo, Egypt
Adeniyi was represented at the funeral prayer, held at the Gumel Emirate Palace on 4 September, by the Acting Customs Area Controller, Kano/Jigawa Area Command, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Usman Adamu.
Adamu on behalf of the CGC, conveyed the Adeniyi’s condolences to the royal family, the Gumel Emirate, and the government and people of Jigawa State.
A customs press release issued by Tahir Balarabe, Chief Superintendent of Customs and Public Relations Officer of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command,described the monarch’s death as a heavy loss to the emirate, the state and the country, saying the late ruler would be remembered for decades of service, a commitment to peace and unity, and concern for the welfare and development of his people.
Adeniyi said “The death of His Royal Highness is a great loss to the Gumel Emirate, Jigawa State and indeed Nigeria. He was a respected traditional leader who dedicated many years to the service of his people, while consistently supporting the efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies operating within his domain to safeguard our borders and promote legitimate trade,”
He added: “ I extend our heartfelt condolences to the royal family, the people of Gumel and the government and people of Jigawa State. At this difficult moment, we share in their grief and pray that Almighty Allah grants the deceased eternal rest and gives his family, subjects and loved ones the strength to bear the loss.”
The funeral drew a large gathering of dignitaries from within and outside Jigawa, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi, the Governor of Kano State, other royal fathers, government officials and thousands of mourners.
The late Emir, the 16th on the Gumel stool, ascended the throne on 16 December 1980 after the death of his father and reigned for nearly 46 years, one of the longest tenures in the history of the emirate and among the longest of Nigeria’s first-class traditional rulers.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier described his passing as the end of a historic era, praising him as a scholar, administrator and statesman whose public service predated the throne.
Before becoming Emir, Sani II served with the Gumel Native Authority and the Nigeria Immigration Service, worked at the Kazaure Divisional Office, and was Commissioner for Information, Internal Affairs and Culture in the old Kano State between 1978 and 1980, a period linked with the founding of the Triumph newspaper and CTV 67 (now ARTV) and the expansion of Radio Kano.
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