Abba Kabir Yusuf: Learn from Ganduje Before Kano Collapses
By Hadiza Nasir Ahmad, Esq
Today, when I came back from work, my mum told me, “You didn’t ask about Yaron Ki—he is my favorite.” He is an Almajiri whose village was attacked by bandits. His family is fleeing, and he was supposed to travel with them, but a message warned him not to go—what if he is kidnapped? He was crying as I heard the news. I also learned from a colleague that Shanono is his hometown, but due to the insecurity, he cannot even return home.
Scrolling through social media and reading news reports, I realized the terror is palpable. We are no longer safe. I always bragged that Kano could never fall like this—but look where we are now.
Kano, the historic heart of the North, is bleeding. Villages are emptying; people are terrified; and the state government is silent. When citizens cannot move freely within their own state; when parents tell their children to stay away from home for safety; we have crossed a red line.
Already, Kano is grappling with the menace of Fadan Daba (thuggery). This Daba issue is crippling businesses, and these Yan daba could easily be recruited by bandits if no action is taken; but sadly, the state government appear at a loss. Abba Kabir Yusuf, it is time to wake from your slumber before it is too late.
Recent attacks in Biresawa and Tsundu in Tsanyawa Local Governemnt, and the recurring nightmares in Shanono have exposed the failure of the current administration. Bandits strike with impunity between 10 and 11 p.m., abducting women, rustling livestock, and traumatizing communities. Villagers reportedly alerted authorities ahead of some attacks, yet their cries for help went unanswered. The state government remains silent; state-owned media offers no guidance; and the Chief Security Officer of the state, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, has shown no visible leadership.
The police and military are doing their best, but they are fighting a war without a general. Security is not a political game; it is a matter of life and death, and the current administration is failing its most fundamental duty.
We must remember the past. Under former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Kano remained relatively safe while neighboring states were engulfed by banditry. CCTV cameras monitored the metropolis. Falgore Forest was cleared in collaboration with the Federal Government. Federal and state agencies worked in coordination to repel threats, including attempted incursions by Boko Haram.
I recently visited Falgore in Doguwa Local Government down to Riruwai, and people were openly applauding Ganduje for the security measures he put in place. Leadership like that inspired confidence; it made Kano safer.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf must swallow his pride and seek guidance, even if it means sitting with Ganduje to learn from a teacher and gain insights into security matters. The blueprint for a secure Kano exists—it requires only the political will to implement it. Silence and inaction are, however, a recipe for disaster, fostering a generation of desperate, unemployed youth who may turn to crime.
Governor Yusuf bears ultimate responsibility. He must act now: coordinate decisively with federal security agencies, empower and fund local community watch groups, and lead publicly and consistently to reassure a terrified populace.
Kano is more than a state; it is the heartbeat of Northern Nigeria. If Kano collapses, the entire region suffers. Political differences must end where the safety of our people begins.
The time for urgent, united, and decisive action is now. Kano is bleeding. The responsibility to stop it rests squarely on Governor Yusuf’s shoulders. Your legacy will be defined by how you respond in this moment of crisis.
Hadiza Nasir Ahmad writes from Kano
Hadizanasir00@gamail.com
