Kano CP Warns Against Violence During Ramadan Cultural Show

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Police Command in Kano State on Monday warned youths against perpetrating violence during the annual Ramadan Tashe cultural show that usually starts in the middle of the Holy Month.

The Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, sounded the warning during an interactive session with traditional rulers,community leaders, religious authorities and influential youth leaders in the state held at the Police Officers Mess, Miller Road, Bompai, Kano.

The session was part of the command’s efforts to ensure a peaceful Tashe during the current Ramadan fast.

Gumel said proactive security measures had been taken on the build-up towards provision of adequate security during and after the Ramadan period.

He warned those intending to perpetrate violence during the holy period, to desist, as adequate security measures had been deployed at the identified locations, and that stringent strategies would be employed to checkmate the situation.

“We have also reached out to traditional rulers in the affected Local Government Areas in the metropolis to preach peace among the youth participating in the Tashe practice to desist from any act capable of bringing confusion during and after the Ramadan period.

“We have taken concrete security measures to deal with any person or group of people that take advantage of promoting Tashe culture to perpetuate insecurity during the last part of Ramadan days.

“Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) are also directed to identify and reach out to prominent people /youths that organize Tashe and to beam the necessary searchlight against any form of violence in the state,”Gumel said.

Furthermore, he said, the Command had increased surveillance and patrols in the identified areas where youth tended to exploit Tashe culture to promote nefarious activities.

He said the Command’s intelligence units had also increased vigilance for collecting and putting into action relevant information to preempt likely emerging security threats.

“These proactive approaches are to allow the Police Command to adequately and swiftly respond to all early warning signs of potential insecurity and maintain the peace and order during and after the Ramadan period.

“Moving forward, the Police Command has invited some community leaders, religious authorities, and influential youth leaders and discussed with them on how best to surmount the issue of specifically the youth that take advantage, instead of promoting the Tashe tradition, to perpetuate insecurity.

The commissioner said by implementing the newly-developed whole security measures and engaging with relevant stakeholders, the command was confident of surmounting the challenges posed by those category of youths that might exploit the Tashe culture and unleash violence during the fasting period.

“Ultimately, our goal is to create a secure and harmonious atmosphere for all residents of Kano State during the month of Ramadan and beyond,” he added.

During the occasion also,sixty three officers of the command were decorated with their new ranks of Superintendents of Police (SPs).

Our Correspondent explains that Tashe is an Hausa cultural show staged during the Ramadan period where people, especially young men and women, dramatize certain Hausa cultural norms so as to make onlookers laugh.

The show also includes making jest of divorcees, big-time bachelors and spinsters indicating how they undergo inconveniences to observe the Ramadan fast without spouses who will render to them such services as cooking and other conjugal supports.