Kano Governor Warns of Escalating Bandit Influx in Northern Areas
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf has raised serious alarm over a growing wave of attacks linked to armed bandits operating across northern parts of the state, warning that the surge in rural violence now represents a threat that demands urgent and strategic intervention.
The governor, addressing members of the State Executive Council in Kano, said a concerning pattern of criminal movement has emerged — one characterized by coordinated night-time invasions, livestock theft, ransom kidnappings and the disruption of farming activities.
Yusuf noted that the situation has particularly affected communities in northern local government areas, including Tsanyawa, Bagwai, Kabo, Shanono, and stretches of remote settlements near the Kano-Katsina border.
Residents in these threatened communities have reportedly been living in a state of heightened anxiety, with many either relocating to safer areas or sleeping in groups for protection.
Farmers have begun prematurely abandoning fields, fearing ambushes along rural paths, and traders have curtailed market travel to avoid being intercepted on remote roads. Local vigilante groups and civilian security volunteers have attempted to bolster security presence, but they remain outgunned and vulnerable, prompting the governor to emphasise the need for professional reinforcement by established security institutions.
Governor Yusuf affirmed that his administration is working closely with relevant federal security bodies to strengthen the intelligence network required to track perpetrators, cut off supply routes, and identify collaborators who may be assisting criminal elements.
The state government, he said, has already initiated high-level consultations with top security officials and dispatched directives expanding rural surveillance and rapid-response capabilities.
He also stressed the importance of community involvement, urging traditional rulers, ward heads and village leaders to provide real-time updates to security operatives and encourage citizens to report suspicious movement rather than retreating into silence.
Yusuf appealed for calm, insisting that government is not treating the situation lightly, and expressed confidence that coordinated action will stabilise affected zones.
Meanwhile, some political observers have urged stakeholders to avoid exploiting the crisis for partisan narratives, noting that rural safety and protection of lives should remain a collective non-political priority.
Security experts argue that the long-term solution lies not only in tactical operations but also in improving economic resilience, addressing youth unemployment, and investing in modern policing infrastructure.
For now, many residents hope that the governor’s alarm will translate into intensified operations and visible protection on the ground a badly needed reassurance in communities weary from living under the shadow of fear.
