By Zainab Nasir Ahmad
Your Excellency,
With a heavy heart and trembling hands, I write this letter, not just as an advocate or a citizen, but as a daughter of Kano whose soul is deeply troubled by the escalating violence in our streets. What used to be a city of warmth, dignity, and peace is slowly becoming a theatre of fear and bloodshed.
Just days ago, I came terrifyingly close to becoming another statistic, another name added to the growing list of innocent victims. I was on my way home in the evening after a long day of engagements when my car ran into a commotion near one of the densely populated neighbourhoods. At first, I thought it was just a scuffle, but within seconds, I realised I was caught in the middle of a thug’s street war.
They came out of nowhere, young boys, some barely older than teenagers, wielding arms and sticks. Their faces were hardened with anger, their eyes empty and wild. They weren’t just fighting among themselves; they were attacking anyone in sight. I saw them smash car windows, drag people, snatch phones, and unleash raw terror on passers-by.
My heart stopped. My hands were shaking. I froze. All I could do was pray. I don’t know how, but by some miracle, I managed to swerve through a small opening and speed to safety. I sat in silence afterward, numb and broken. The tears came later, not just for myself, but for my city, my people, and for the children who have turned into monsters in broad daylight.
Your Excellency, this isn’t politics. This is personal. This is our reality now. Kano is bleeding.
Parents are losing their sons to gang violence. Fathers are afraid to let their daughters walk freely. Traders are locking up their shops earlier, not because business is bad, but because danger lurks.
The thugs are getting bolder. They now roam the streets in packs, high on drugs, angry at a system that failed them, and weaponised by individuals who use them for elections and then abandon them like disposable tools. And while we try to pretend that this is a fringe issue, the truth is: we are all at risk. No one is safe anymore.
Your Excellency, this is my desperate appeal. We cannot wait another day. We cannot risk another life. We must act, and act now.
I respectfully urge the following actions:
Declare a State of Emergency on Youth Violence and Thuggery
This is a war, and we need a wartime response, urgent, bold, and uncompromising. Let this issue take centre stage in government priorities.
Empower Community Policing and Local Vigilantes
Our communities know where the threats are; let them be equipped and supervised to defend their neighbourhoods while working with law enforcement.
Prosecute the Sponsors – No Matter Who They Are
The root of this menace is in the hands of powerful individuals. We must be courageous enough to name them and hold them accountable.
Create Safe Spaces and Healing Programs for Our Youth
The solution is not just punishment, it is transformation. Open vocational centres, sports hubs, mentorship programs, and drug rehabilitation facilities across all LGAs.
Launch a Peace and Redemption Campaign
Let the government speak directly to the youth through radio, schools, mosques, and social media. Let’s bring them back from the brink.
Collaborate with Civil Society Organizations
Some groups are already on the frontlines. We’re ready to support government efforts to educate, rehabilitate, and reintegrate. We need political will, not bureaucracy.
Your Excellency, I am pleading with you not as a stranger, but as a daughter of Kano who narrowly escaped the claws of violence. I am pleading for the lives of our youth, for the dignity of our elders, and the survival of our beautiful, historic city.
History will judge our silence. The next victim could be someone’s mother, brother, or child. It could be me again. Let us not wait until this menace consumes us completely. Let this letter be the last cry before we see change.
Zainab Nasir Ahmad, a Social Advocate and Executive Director, YOSPIS writes from Kano
