The recent proposal to prohibit visas for Kano State officials, including Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, has drawn criticism from former Senator Shehu Sani. The Save Kano Coalition filed a petition with the US embassy in Nigeria over the ongoing Kano Emirate crisis, which led to this request. In its petition, the group pleaded with the ambassador to warn the Kano administration not to undermine the state's democratic institutions any more. The Nigerian National Assembly member for Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, called the request to suspend visas for Governor Yusuf and other state officials due to the emirship dispute "ridiculous."
Sani's remarks were in reaction to the coalition's more general request that international organizations and donor agencies ban the Kano government from obtaining collaborations and funding. A coalition of civil society organizations in Kano State called the Save Kano Coalition recently encouraged the international community and the US government to restrict visas for members of Governor Yusuf's administration because of their role in the Kano Emirate conflict.
The coalition asked US Ambassador Richard Mills to "order the Yusuf-led administration" to stop undermining the state's democratic institutions in a petition dated Friday, June 28, 2024. According to the coalition, the Kano State government has been flouting court rulings and undermining democratic norms.