It is a well-known fact that cities all over the globe experience one kind of criminality or the other, this may not be unconnected with the cosmopolitan nature of those urban cities.
Kano remains the centre of commerce, with its population ever on the increase due to the viability of of the environment and business activities going on.
Kano right now is one of the most peaceful states or cities in north-west, if one is to measure the issue of banditry, kidnapping and terrorists activities.
But despite that it did not make the city free from other criminal activities, going on on a daily basis to the level that the number of individuals are loosing their lives and others hospitalized in different public and private hospitals within the city.
The craze or penchant to own or hold expensive cell phones among you is increasing with a lot of competition, while others are there trying to compete on other things, which made it necessary for them to get money at any cost.
The city of Kano is well-known for thuggery (Daba) but since the period of Commissioner of Police, Alkali known as “Singham” it reduces to minimal, the complement of his successor Bahubballi as is known was impressive, too.
But the city for about one year now is experiencing another surge of insecurity within neighbourhood as group of youth carrying knives and in some cases locally made guns are harassing, injuring and even killing many just in their attempt to collect phone or snatch women’s bags.
Right now in the city you can’t walk and be making phone calls or even chatting or displaying your phone, as the group of youth can easily attack the person. In most cases even if one give them the phone they still use the specially-made knives to attack chest or stomach of their victims before they run away, which many lost their lives while others are in hospital.
This issue is getting serious as it is a daily event, and it happened or happening not only in one’s spot or location but rather many places within the city.
The last time I traveled to the city, as someone from Abuja and someone who is used to making calls while walking and sometimes even stay and chat or reply messages, my brother and my wife called me cautioning me against displaying my phone outside, in fact, they said even in side tricycle known in local parlance as “A daidaita Sahu”.
It is indeed a trying moment for the people in Kano, but with the increase in this criminal activities who is to blame?
The young people perpetrating this act are or were within the neighborhood, why is it that those in the area can not take action against them?Kano with zone A of the Nigerian police which I can admit are doing their best, what are they doing to end this slow poison that is gradually killing people?And what is the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is doing concerning this, since he is the chief security officer of the state, and part of his major responsibility is to protect the lives and properties of Kano people?As this goes on I will like to remind people that security is every body’s business hence the need to help the security forces in ensuring communities are safer.
And for the criminals I reiterate a Hausa saying “Dare dubu na Barawo, Dare daya na mai kaya” (thousand days are for the thief and one day for the owner).
ABala, is an Abuja-based broadcast journalist, writes via [email protected]
