REJOINDER TO “KANO: NEW BANDITS’ FRONTIER” A MISLEADING NARRATIVE IN NEED OF BALANCE
By Tijjani Sarki
Good Governance Advocate & Public Policy Analyst
Write from Kano
6th December, 2025
Your article, “Kano: New Bandits’ Frontier,” raises important concerns about the recent incidents in a few border communities. However, the framing, emphasis, and overall tone project a distorted image of Kano State one that either reflects a lack of understanding of Kano’s strategic national importance or, regrettably, suggests an attempt to exploit isolated events to reinforce a negative, almost hostile predisposition toward the state.
No fair-minded observer can deny the seriousness of any security breach. Yet only someone deeply misguided would ever wish insecurity upon any Nigerian state, much less a state as historically central and cosmopolitan as Kano.
CONSTITUTIONAL AND SECURITY MISPLACEMENTS
Your analysis attempts to localise what is fundamentally a regional and federal security challenge. The Nigerian Constitution makes this clear:
Section 214 (1): Police is a federal institution.
Sections 217 & 218: The Armed Forces are under exclusive control of the Federal Government.
Section 14(2)(b): Security is a primary purpose of government as a whole, not an isolated obligation of one state.
Blaming Kano’s political climate for cross-border bandit influx ignores this constitutional reality and misleads the public by pushing responsibility where it does not legally reside.
A QUESTIONABLE ATTITUDE TOWARDS KANO
Your piece contains subtle but persistent undertones portraying Kano as a state on the verge of collapse. This is neither accurate nor responsible. Insecurity in border LGAs does not translate into Kano becoming “a new frontier of banditry.” Your presentation risks turning a serious issue into a sensational narrative.
One cannot help but observe that your writing:
Omits Kano’s decade-long success as one of the safest major cities in northern Nigeria
Minimises the role of inter-state spillovers from Katsina and Kaduna
Blames the current administration in ways unsupported by constitutional structures
Depicts isolated incidents as a statewide security meltdown
Whether this stems from unfamiliarity with Kano’s realities or a deeper personal bias, only you can say. But the result is a narrative that unfairly maligns a state that has historically stood as a bulwark against insecurity, not a breeding ground for it.
KANO’S RESILIENCE IGNORED
For over a decade:
Kano thwarted Boko Haram cells through community intelligence and collective vigilance
The state remained a stable refuge despite neighbouring states battling widespread banditry
Residents demonstrated exceptional civic responsibility, as reflected in the recent Kofar Ruwa arrests
Government and security operatives despite challenges maintained one of the strongest urban security records in northern Nigeria
These facts deserved equal emphasis but were conveniently downplayed.
THE DANGERS OF AN UNBALANCED NARRATIVE
Kano is:
A commercial backbone of northern Nigeria
A melting pot of cultures, the most cosmopolitan northern city
A centre for industry, scholarship, trade, and artisanal skill
A state on which millions across West Africa economically depend
To portray such a state as descending into chaos is not only inaccurate but also harmful. It affects investor confidence, fuels panic, encourages political misinterpretations, and threatens the unity Section 15(3) of the Constitution requires all institutions including the media to protect.
A REMINDER TO THE WRITER
You are free to analyse events, but analysis must be grounded in fairness and context.
Kano is confronting external insecurity pressure, not collapsing internally.
The people of Kano do not need alarmist projections,they need responsible journalism that recognises both challenges and strengths.
As a matter of principle, no sane or well-meaning Nigerian would wish or insinuate that Kano, or any state, should descend into insecurity. Nigeria has suffered enough from careless narratives that inflame fear rather than promote solutions.
Kano will continue to stand strong. Its history, resilience, and contributions to Nigeria are far greater than the temporary challenges at its borders.
I urge you Clement Oloyede to avoid crafting negative impressions and instead contribute to a national discourse that supports unity, balance, and truth.
Kano deserves nothing less.
Sarki write from kano
can be reach via tijjanisarki.blogspot.com
