Married women protest rising thuggery as taskforce battles criminal networks in Kano

Lukman Abdulmalik

Married women in Kofar Mata, Kano Municipal LGA, recently staged a protest over repeated attacks and killings allegedly carried out by local thugs known as Yan Daba, demanding urgent intervention from authorities to restore security in their community.

Marching through key streets with placards, the demonstrators called on the Kano State Government and security agencies to swiftly intervene and restore peace in the troubled neighbourhood.

“This has gone on for too long,” a resident told our correspondent under anonymity due to safety concerns.

“The thugs from Zango and Kofar Mata have been clashing for nearly a week. It’s getting worse.

“Two boys have already been killed, and many more are injured. We’re tired of living in fear.”

According to residents, the clashes often erupt suddenly, with gang members attacking individuals, looting shops, and wreaking havoc in broad daylight.

Kofar Mata has long been identified as a flashpoint for gang-related violence in Kano, with regular outbreaks of conflict between rival groups resulting in fatalities, injuries, and widespread fear among locals.

Their protest underscores a broader insecurity crisis in Kano.

THE STAR correspondent gathered that between March 13–14, 2025, the Kano State Joint Task Force on Peace Restoration and Youth Rehabilitation arrested 53 suspects in Kofar Mata and surrounding areas, seizing illicit substances and weapons including cannabis, codeine syrup, cutlasses, and charms.

In a later sweep between May 10–14, 31 more suspects were apprehended across hotspots such as Dorayi, Unguwar Dabai, Kabuga, and Kofar Mata.

Authorities recovered firearms, knives, exol tablets, and large quantities of cannabis, identifying several individuals long known in the thuggery network .

A wider crackdown in April 2025 led the taskforce to capture over 500 wanted criminals, including scores directly implicated in Daba-led violence and drug trafficking operations across Kano State .

These operations come amid escalating confrontations between rival youth factions in Kofar Mata and Zango, which have led to injuries, property loss, and general unrest.

In December 2024, the Kano Police arrested one of the alleged masterminds, Kabiru Jamilu, aged 21, believed to be orchestrating several violent clashes between gangs in Kofar Mata/Zango .

In addition, the Kano State Government has held high-level peace dialogues with leaders of rival groups from Kofar Mata, Yakasai, Zango, and Fagge.

Authorities attributed thuggery’s root causes to unemployment, drug abuse, and political manipulation, pledging reintegration support and rehabilitation for surrendered gang members .

During protests, Kofar Mata residents pointed out that thefts and killings often follow Daba activity, and called for stronger preventive measures—not just reactive arrests.

They criticized responses as sporadic, arguing that while enforcement is ongoing, the underlying drivers—such as economic hardship and youth exclusion—remain unaddressed.

The protest by married women reflects growing public frustration at the violence infiltrating their neighborhoods.

While the government’s security forces are taking visible action, residents continue to demand sustainable solutions that blend enforcement with socio-economic reform and community engagement.