Residents in Kano have expressed fears over the return of activities of local thugs otherwise known as Yandaba in the state metropolis and environs, Kano Chronicle reports.

Some people, who spoke to our reporters on the development, appealed to security agencies to curtail the situation before it goes out of hand.

Findings revealed that cases of both political and criminal thuggery are on the increase in the state with areas such as Yakasai by Rimi market, Gwale, Mandawari, Warure, Jakara, Gyadi-Gyadi, Hotoro and Sheka quarters been identified as the worst hit places by the activities of the local thugs.

Further observation indicated that during the just concluded Sallah festivities, the state witnessed series of clashes by the local thugs across some localities within the city.

For instance, a young local dry cleaning operator at Gwangwazo quarters in Municipal local government area of the state (name withheld) was murdered by a notorious thug in the area.

According to a resident of the area, Muhammad Isa, the incident occurred following an argument that ensued between the dry cleaner and the notorious thug.

“What happened was that the thug brought his clothes for laundry few days to Sallah and the local dry cleaner told him that he had temporarily stopped collecting clothes because he has a bulk of unwashed clothes that he needs to wash before Sallah.

“The notorious thug felt offended when he saw another customer collecting his clothes from the local dry cleaner. The feeling of unfairness was what led to the fight that resulted in the death of the local dry cleaner.

“The thug became so aggressive and subsequently engaged the dry cleaner in a fight and in the process he stabbed him to death with an object suspected to be knife,” Isa said.

The dry cleaner, our reporters gathered, was an Almajiri of a Qur’anic school in the area, who ventured into laundry and dry cleaning business to make a living.

Kano Chronicle gathered that, the thug has since gone into hiding after he was declared wanted by the police.

Another incident was also recorded in Sagagi quarters, Gwale local government area of the state where a notorious thug who instituted himself as an authority brutally murdered an informant that leaked information about his movement to police.

According to a source, who craved anonymity, the thug killed a young man for revealing information that led to his arrest.

“The victim was said to have provided the police with some information that led to the arrest of the thug, and when he was released, he went straight to the informant’s house and stabbed him to death.

“Members of the community are fed up with the atrocities of the notorious thug. They have also reported the case to the authority severally, but the guy is moving freely in the community,” the source said.

Another respondent at Kurnar Asabe quarters of Fagge local government area, Malam Idris Anas said, “Thuggery is on the increase in Kano. We have heard issues of snatching of cell phones, especially in secluded areas. We hope security agencies will do something about it.”

Usman Maishayi, a trader at Kofar Ruwa market, lamented how hoodlums usually snatch valuables from innocent people passing through Kofar Ruwa underpass.

“From 10pm upward, if a driver doesn’t pass through underpass on high speed, there is every possibility of being attacked by some hooligans and forcefully snatch his belongings more especially mobile phones and money, and if he resists, they can inflict serious injury on him,” he said.

Muhammad Abubakar Abba, a resident of Badawa, said, “It is very common to hear about ‘Yandaba either fighting among themselves or attacking innocent residents especially during Sallah celebrations.”

However, the leader of Vigilante Group in Yankaba quarters, Malam Shehu Mugyambo said, “Cases of snatching of mobile phones and handbags have reduced considerably in the area due to the stringed measures the vigilante group adopted in curtailing the trend. We have representatives at different locations that always inform us about happenings in their localities. Whenever they see something unusual, they alert us, and we quickly respond.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Magaji Musa Majia, said the police had arrested some suspected local thugs in various places for their involvement in both political and criminal thuggery.

“Some of the thugs were arrested for killing innocent citizens, while others for inflicting grave injuries on their victims,” he said.

He said the command had mapped out modalities of tackling criminal activities in the state, saying the community police policing programme introduced by the incumbent inspector general of police was yielding positive result as far as addressing the issue of thuggery in the state was concerned.

Majia assured that the police would continue to work closely with the general public to fish out bad elements for them to pay the price of their heinous acts. (Daily Trust)

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