Worried by the increasing rate of thuggery and drug abuse in Kano State, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdulsalam Abdulkarim, popularly known as A.A. Zaura, has sounded a warning about the dire consequences if the menace is not urgently addressed. He described the situation as potentially “catastrophic and disastrous” if left unchecked.
Zaura made these remarks while convening a stakeholders’ meeting on his initiative titled End Thuggery Study Solution and Policy Action (From Street to Straight)—a project aimed at tackling the growing issues of youth thuggery and substance abuse in the state.
As the APC’s 2023 Kano Central Senatorial candidate, Zaura passionately appealed to all stakeholders—community leaders, royal fathers, security agencies, and policymakers—to join forces in finding a lasting solution to the crisis threatening the fabric of the state’s youth population.
“For anyone with a child, this is a matter of deep concern. Children as young as 13 are getting involved in thuggery and substance abuse. We must act now before it becomes a full-blown disaster. It is our collective responsibility to reshape the future of our youths,” he said.
He emphasized the need to show love, listen to the affected youths, and reintegrate them into society, saying, “We need to rescue Kano. We need to rescue our youths. We must bring them back to life and show them they are not abandoned.”
Zaura revealed that his foundation has already begun work on reintegrating youths through education and vocational empowerment programs. “We are taking them back to school, we will empower them in various trades. The goal is to shape a safer, more prosperous future for Kano State—one where peace reigns, and citizens can sleep soundly without fear of violence.”
Echoing his concerns, Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, highlighted the significance of focusing on curbing thuggery and drug abuse. He disclosed that crime mapping and research conducted by the command confirmed these two issues as major threats to community safety and the future of young people.
Bakori added that since assuming office, his command had arrested 357 individuals involved in various criminal activities, including drug trafficking and street violence, and had recovered significant quantities of illicit substances.
Similarly, Kano State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Abubakar Idris, vowed that law enforcement agencies would not relent in their efforts. He affirmed that no stone would be left unturned in the mission to tackle and eliminate drug abuse and youth violence.
Earlier, the Project Director, Garba Shehu, welcomed attendees and noted that the meeting came at a crucial time, providing a platform for stakeholders to discuss the worsening societal issues and develop actionable solutions to restore safety and dignity to the youth of Kano.
