By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
The Kano State Government has described an award conferred on it by the Institute of Security and Strategic Studies at the North-West Conference on Community Security Management in Kaduna as “a call to action and more action.
Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Comrade Abdullahi Ibrahim Waiya, who represented Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, said the recognition reflects practical steps taken to tackle insecurity through kinetic and non-kinetic approaches. He noted that governing Kano, described as a “mini-Nigeria,” demands serious commitment.
Waiya said the administration has deployed about 2,000 trained youths under the newly established Neighbourhood Watch, with a divisional office in each of the state’s 44 local government areas.
The government also launched the Anti-Phone Snatching Corps to support conventional agencies in curbing street crime, and strengthened community policing under a dedicated Special Adviser. Independent community-led security initiatives are also being supported across all LGAs.
A major highlight is the Safe Corridor programme, described as the first of its kind in northern Nigeria. Waiya disclosed that about 340 youths previously involved in political thuggery have been registered and profiled, with over N500 million released for the initiative.
He added that 1,000 more youths are being prepared for a 40-day rehabilitation and empowerment camp before reintegration into society.
Linking security to development, the commissioner said Kano’s status as one of the world’s most populous cities and a melting pot for Nigerians and other Africans requires massive investment.
To address this, the state has presented an N1.4 trillion budget, the largest in Kano’s history and in northern Nigeria, with more than N1 trillion earmarked for capital expenditure.
“It is not about spending money on ourselves as government officials but rather dedicating such resources to providing essential services,” he said.
The government also said it now enjoys a cordial working relationship with all security agencies in the state, providing timely funding, operational vehicles and logistics.
“It has further strengthened the mandate of the Hisbah Board to mitigate social conflicts and is set to inaugurate a forum of the eight metropolitan local governments to support security agencies. Waiya pledged that the administration will continue to scale up efforts to ensure peace and development in Kano.
