According to Abba Kabir Yusuf, the governor of Kano State, his administration will not stand for the continued presence of criminal activities like thuggery and phone snatching and will take swift and severe action against those responsible.
After returning from a holy pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, the governor made this statement on Wednesday evening while addressing journalists and supporters at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
The use of youth as criminal elements is something that worries Governor Yusuf. Although some may have been led astray, he claimed that there are those who are quietly sowing discord behind the scenes. We do not have any state that compares to Kano, he declared.
We will not deny that some of you were led astray, but there are some who incited to sponsor your shameful deeds, and we will use scientific methods to bring those responsible to justice in Kano. This is an open letter to our youth.
Governor Yusuf issued a warning that those who support these kind of acts will be discovered and dealt with, however he refrained from naming specific individuals.
Additionally, he shared news of the state government’s plans to start a number of programs targeted at young people, with the goals of rehabilitating them, empowering them, and creating jobs for them. According to him, they will encourage youth to lead better lives, free from criminal activity.
A program to encourage positive growth among young people and deter them from engaging in criminal activities like violence or phone theft will soon be implemented, he promised.
The governor went on to urge community people, traditional leaders, and parents to help the government’s youth mentorship program by setting a good example themselves, saying that everyone must do their part to reduce crime.