There has been tension at the popular Kano phone market, Farm Centre, after close to 200 suspected thugs stormed the area, attacking traders and stealing property.
The thugs, who were reportedly carrying cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, were allegedly accompanying a Kano Central senatorial aspirant, Abdussalam Abubakar, popularly known as AA Zaura, to an event at a hotel near the market.
The Chairman of the market, Alhaji Jamilu Bala Gama, confirmed the incident to SolaceBase on Monday, saying it occurred around 1:25 p.m. when the hoodlums invaded the market.
He said the attackers did not target Farm Centre alone but also unleashed violence on three other nearby markets, including City Centre and New Dubai.
SolaceBase reports that the practice of politicians moving with armed thugs has become a disturbing trend, often leading to violence and disruption of commercial activities in Kano.
“They were many, about 200 or even more. They attacked innocent people and marketers, injuring them and stealing their property,” Gama said.
According to him, as of the time of filling this report, the hoodlums were still within the vicinity of the ongoing event, forcing traders to flee for safety and shut down their businesses.
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He noted that such incidents are not new, alleging that hoodlums often accompany political gatherings in the area and attack traders.
“We plan to take legal action against politicians generating tension in our markets by moving around with hoodlums,” he added.
Gama further disclosed that police operatives from a nearby station responded to the situation but were also attacked by the hoodlums, with some officers reportedly injured.
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A trader, Abdullahi Dabinai, also confirmed the incident, describing it as part of a recurring pattern that has long troubled marketers in the area.
He said the police had to deploy teargas to disperse the hoodlums, noting that such violence frequently occurs whenever there is a political gathering nearby.
According to him, although the attack was concentrated around shops and stalls close to the roadside, many traders fear that future incidents could spread further into the market.
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He recalled several instances when political gatherings created tension, forcing traders to lock themselves inside their shops for safety.
There was no official police statement as of the time of filing this report. Efforts to reach the Kano State Police Command spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls.
Attempts to get a reaction from AA Zaura also proved abortive, as the event allegedly linked to the incident was still ongoing.
