Kano govt to sponsor mass wedding for repentant thugs

The Kano State Hisbah Board has announced plans to finance and organise wedding ceremonies for repentant thugs who wish to get married during a forthcoming mass wedding programme sponsored by the state government.

The Commander-General of the Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, made this known during the “Safe Corridor” programme held at the Bompai Police Headquarters, Kano, for 718 youths who renounced thuggery and repented.

According to him, “This initiative is part of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s plan to support youths who want to live a decent life.”

He further urged more youths to abandon crime, stressing that the state is committed to their rehabilitation.

Governor Yusuf also disclosed that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) will begin a rehabilitation exercise for the repentant thugs. He added that the state government will provide financial support and educational opportunities to aid their reintegration.

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Speaking at the event, the State Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abdulkarim Abdullahi, said the command had profiled 718 youths who had renounced thuggery, while an additional 597 voluntarily submitted themselves to lay down their arms and renounce violence.

“This courageous decision by the concerned youths is not only commendable but also strengthens our collective belief that with the right environment and sincere engagement, positive transformation is absolutely achievable.

“This milestone underscores the effectiveness of our approach and clearly demonstrates that sustained engagement, community-oriented policing, and inclusive governance remain the most viable instruments for building lasting peace,” Abdullahi said.

He urged the Kano State Government and relevant stakeholders to invest more in youth empowerment programmes and long-term socio-economic interventions to consolidate the gains so far achieved.

“For too long, the scourge of youth thuggery has cast a devastating shadow over our communities—eroding peace, dampening economic activities, and projecting a negative image of our dear state.

“Kano, as the commercial nerve-centre of Northern Nigeria, has regrettably borne the brunt of this menace, with valuable lives and properties lost in violent confrontations by misguided elements lured into criminality,” he added.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner of Police, Dr. Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, called on community and religious leaders, as well as other stakeholders, to intensify sensitisation campaigns against violence and anti-social behaviour.

*“Every individual, every family, and every community has a role to play in ensuring peace and stability in our society.

“The Kano State Government, through this Safe Corridor programme, is offering you a second chance to start afresh and become productive members of society. Take this opportunity seriously. Let today mark the beginning of a new chapter in your lives,”* Bakori said.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Amb. Ibrahim Waiya, said the initiative reflects the state government’s commitment to peace, safety, and harmony under Governor Yusuf’s leadership.

Waiya assured that the government would support the repentant thugs with empowerment programmes to make them self-reliant and contribute to the state’s economic growth.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE