Apprehension in Kano over foreign camel caravans

RESIDENTS of Rimin Zakara and Doraji Babba communities of Gwale and Ungogo Local Government areas of Kano state have since Wednesday been filled with apprehension and fear over the presence of foreign camel caravans in their neighbourhood.

It was gathered that some residents of the communities on seeing the strange caravans decided to relocate their families for fear of the unknown. One Malam Muhammed Ibrahim,a resident of Ungogo local government area, which is about five kilometres to the state capital, told Saturday Tribune that he relocated his family  Wednesday night to Kano city, saying he did not know the mission of the men said to be foreigners.

Also, Alhaji Shuaib Sunmaila, another resident of the area said “his wife and children could not pass the night in our  house, as we were afraid, not knowing their mission and we thought they could attempt to kidnap or attack since they  came towards the night, when everywhere was in darkness.” Though, those interviewed disclosed that some foreign camel traders used to sell camels in the state, but that the numbers were not as much as those seen in the two local government areas.

They stated that the foreign camel sellers used to transport their camels in trucks, but these unusual ones came in caravans. Some non-indigenes who built houses in the areas because the place is now a beehive of activities also had to  engage security personnel to guard them in the night. While speaking with the spokesman of the Nigeria Police in the  state, DSP Abdullahi Haruna over the development, he confirmed that, “the command received several reports that  they noticed the presence of strange people in the outskirts of Ungogo and Gwale local government areas of the state.”

He added that the state Commissioner of Police Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, “without wasting much time dispatched a team  of investigators to the area to ascertain the authenticity of the claim.” He stated that the police team also went to where the caravans were stationed on the outskirts of the two local government areas, noting that when they confronted them, nothing incriminating was found on them.