Kano CSOs Protest Rising Political Thuggery
Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano
A group, Kano Civil Society Alliance for Peaceful Politics, has condemned the rising wave of political thuggery in the state, warning that violence linked to Yan Daba groups is threatening democratic stability ahead of the 2027 general election.
Members of the groups, who converged on Bayero yesterday, listed 10 deadly attacks recorded between January and May 2026, including the killing of 10 people during clashes on a state road and the death of five people on May 5.
The group also cited the killing of a police officer in Hotoro Division and repeated clashes in Dorayi, Koki, Abattoir Market and Rimin Kebe, calling on the Kano State Government to immediately suspend all political rallies until a comprehensive security framework is put in place.
The Alliance described Kano as a state of over 18 million people with nearly 8 million youths and an economy worth almost $20 billion. It said the state, which has remained insulated from banditry and insurgency, is now confronting an “inbuilt existential challenge” driven by politicians who allegedly arm, fund, and deploy thugs during electioneering across all party lines.
Ambassador Abdullahi Muhammad, who spoke on behalf of the groups, said despite a 2025 government amnesty that rehabilitated over 1,300 repentant thugs, the menace has persisted.
He noted that clashes between rival gangs have become more frequent, with armed thugs chasing and killing victims while chanting party slogans, adding that many of the killings remain unreported and under-documented.
The coalition commended the state Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for his “bold and ambitious vision” under the Kano First Agenda, but said more needed to be done. “No blood of a single Kano indigene is worth the ambition of any political actor or interest. His Excellency should walk the talk,” the statement read.
Beyond loss of lives, the Alliance listed major impacts of the conflict to include destruction of property worth ₦11 billion, collapse of law and order in some neighborhoods, and the erosion of democratic values. It said Yan Daba now controls parts of communities, intimidating citizens through phone snatching, assault, and armed robbery.
The Alliance also called for strengthened law enforcement in hotspots such as Hotoro, Unguwa Uku, Dorayi, Koki, and Abattoir, as well as disarmament campaigns.
The group made a passionate appeal to INEC, the international community, and security operatives to intervene. “Whatever affects Kano affects Northern Nigeria and the entire country,” it stated, urging stakeholders to prioritise peace over politics.