Longtong Ibrahim
The Kano State Police Commissioner, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel has led the Kano State Police Football team to play against the repentant thugs in a football tournament organized by the State Police Command with support from the Youth Society for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Social Vices (YOSPIS).
The opening match between the Police and selected players from the repentant thugs popularly known as Yan daba, now rebranded as Kano Youths Yearning for the return of Sustainable Peace, ended in a 1 – 1 draw.
The football match took place at the Sani Abacha Stadium on Wednesday and has other fixtures that will involve the police engaging with Kannywood, Kano Tiktokers, the Kano Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and YOSPIS.
Speaking after the opening game, the Police Commissioner expressed satisfaction with the support gained from different stakeholders, noting that, this activity is a part of their community policing initiatives of bringing people closer.
He said: “The set of youths we played the football friendly match together is a set of youths that have been trying their best to see that they detach themselves from committing crimes but because of the stigma of the society, it is quite difficult. For them to have a platform where they can be free from all this form of stigmatization, I now decided to invite them to come to us and talk to see the vision. When they came, we discussed and we agreed and that is why we are together.”
However, the command has also declared a serious man haunt on three thugs who have failed to honour the Police Invitation, placing an N300,000 reward for anybody who has a trace of their location. They are Barakata of Dorayi Quarters, Hantar Daba, and Chile Mai Doki of Tudun Fulani Quarters.
“We invited the 30 of them to the Command but to our utmost surprise, 99 of them turned up and accepted to shun the bad deeds and also submitted their weapons.
“Unfortunately there are three notorious among them who have refused to surrender, so we have declared a very serious manhunt for them. As part of our community policing, we are inviting members of the public – anybody who has a trace of their location should please collaborate with the police and see that they are arrested and brought to the Police headquarters for investigation and prosecution.
“Already I have placed a reward of N100,000 cash each to be given to anybody that will give out information that will help in identifying and arresting the three of them, totaling N300,000. We are very serious about it and we will continue to fish out anybody who feels that he is above the law in the state,” he declared.
Earlier in her remarks, Executive Director of YOSPIS, Zainab Ahmad, said that the football match is aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence in the state by embracing the delinquent youths and showing them that they are still welcome back to their communities.
