The Commissioner of Police in Kano, Salman Dogo, has accused political parties of fostering thuggery and violence in the state. Dogo expressed concern that unless political actors cease their blame-shifting and focus on addressing the root causes, it may be challenging to maintain long-lasting stability in Kano.
The police chief made these statements during a year-end briefing at the Bompai Command headquarters, responding to questions regarding the growing threat posed by political thugs and associated criminals.
According to Dogo, the police have been employing both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies to curb political violence. In terms of kinetic measures, he emphasized the use of force to arrest and prosecute suspects involved in political thuggery. However, he expressed frustration over the recurring issue of released criminals, noting that many thugs arrested, prosecuted, and jailed would often return to their disruptive activities after serving their time.
“We are arresting, prosecuting, and even jailing many of the thugs in Kano, and that’s why you have noticed that the state has continued to enjoy peace. But the challenge is that once these thugs are released from prison, they resume their violent actions, which fuels the resurgence of chaos,” Dogo stated.
On the non-kinetic front, the police have engaged political parties to urge their members to stop promoting violence. However, Dogo pointed out that the ongoing blame game between politicians has hindered meaningful progress.
In addition to addressing political thuggery, Dogo highlighted the police’s efforts in combating banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery across 17 local councils in Kano’s border areas with Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, and Bauchi states. Through intelligence-led surveillance, increased visibility policing, and collaboration with other security agencies, the police managed to reduce crime rates in 2024.
Dogo credited the leadership of Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for the notable achievements in crime management, which led to a significant decline in criminal activities.
Despite the challenges, Dogo assured the public that the police would continue their efforts to restore and maintain peace in the state, with a firm commitment to tackling both political and non-political threats to security.