Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State profiles 718 political thugs, Kano Statae Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, who ordered gratuity payment to former and current councillors in the state.

Kano State Government, in its determination to stem the rampant cases of phone snatching, thuggery, and street crimes across the state, has resolved to profile 718 political thugs through its newly launched initiative tagged ‘Operation Safe Corridor’.

However, the State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Waiya, said that “The initiative, spearheaded by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration, is part of a broader security reform aimed at rehabilitating political miscreants and restoring public safety.”

Comrade Waiya made this known during a high-level stakeholder engagement meeting between government officials and civil society organisations (CSOs).

According to him, “the Operation Safe Corridor initiative is yielding results, with 718 political thugs profiled and enrolled into reintegration programs.”

He stated that the current administration is adopting a community-based, rehabilitative approach that goes beyond arrests by engaging with repentant thugs to understand their motivations and reintegrate them into a peaceful society.

According to a presentation tagged “Insecurity Around Phone Snatching and Theft: The Role of Civil Society,” Commissioner Waiya criticised the previous administration for allegedly institutionalising political thuggery.

He noted that “We don’t just arrest or prosecute; we engage them, understand their grievances, and get them involved in peace-building.”

He emphasised that the government’s collaboration with civil society is strategic and non-political, designed to build sustainable solutions to youth-led crimes such as phone snatching.

He, however, added that two top officials, the Commissioner of Internal Security and the Director General of Special Services, oversee the programme to ensure concrete results, not cosmetic efforts.

Some of the participants — Dr. Musa Abdullahi Sufi, Comrade Haruna Ayagi, and Rakiya Abba Tahula — lauded the initiative but urged the government to address the root causes of crime, such as youth unemployment, drug abuse, and urban disorganisation.

They called for ward heads’ empowerment (masu unguwanni) with legal authority to support grassroots security efforts.

They advocated a return to traditional neighbourhood accountability, where communities take collective responsibility for identifying and addressing deviant behaviour.

The event featured robust contributions from CSO leaders who stressed the importance of government-community synergy.

The meeting concluded with a strong commitment from both government and civil society actors to continue working hand-in-hand to make Kano safer through structured engagements, youth empowerment, community policing, and the rehabilitation of vulnerable youths. (Nigerian Tribune)