The Police in the northern Nigerian State of Kano are on a high state of alert, following fears of possible outbreak of violence in the ancient city.

To this end, the Kano State Police Command has placed an indefinite ban on political campaigns, gatherings, processions and rallies, in what is seen as a deliberate proactive measure to sustain the fragile peace in the state.

This move by the police according to Channels Television correspondent in Kano is not unconnected with violence on the Plateau, the Boko Haram insurgency and the expected return of the Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau from Saudi Arabia, where he had gone on pilgrimage.

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Idris told newsmen in Kano that intelligence report indicates that some people have been mobilizing supporters of the former governor to stage a rally in his honour on his return to the state.

The Police Commissioner said "we are not living in normal time, and we are aware that it is not everybody who wishes this country well. So people should help the security agencies to ensure that lives and properties are properly secured."

The state Police have apprehended a suspected criminal, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the killing of a taxi driver, who was set ablaze along with his car last year.