Renowned human rights lawyer, Barrister Abba Hikima, has accused politicians of fuelling the rising tide of gang violence in Kano State.
Hikima, in a post on his Facebook page, said the ongoing clashes involving thugs — locally called yan daba — were not random incidents but were allegedly bankrolled by political actors.
“It is the political leaders who are fuelling the thugs’ clashes in Kano,” he wrote, drawing reactions from residents worried about the growing insecurity.
Kano has recently witnessed a spike in youth violence, popularly known as *fadan daba* (gang fights), alongside a surge in phone snatching and other forms of thuggery.
In June, the Kano State Police Command launched a renewed onslaught on the gangs after bloody clashes in parts of the city.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, directed his men to raid all identified hideouts across the state.
Despite the crackdown, residents say the menace persists. “What we are witnessing is not normal,” said Kabiru Wada of Dorayi in Gwale Local Government Area. “These boys are obviously getting support from somewhere. The government needs to go after their sponsors.”
Security experts have warned that the state may slide into deeper lawlessness unless the political angle is addressed.
Civil society groups are also mounting pressure on Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to act. “The government must show zero tolerance for violence and call political actors to order,” said Comrade Haruna Musa Yakasai. “Our streets must be safe again.”