Residents of Kawo in Kano State’s Nasarawa Local Government Area have raised the alarm over increased violence over the activities of suspected gangs as the confrontations reached a third day on Tuesday.
The turmoil has affected commercial activities and increased dread among shopkeepers, commuters and residents, they told Channels TV.
Many viewed the situation as the re-emergence of organised street violence across portions of the state.
The ongoing fights have led a number of store owners to reduce their operations due to safety concerns, said resident Muhammad.
“They haven’t started attacking houses yet but they intimidate traders and take their goods away,” he claimed.
Some of the residents said the situation was sparked by a disagreement among commercial tricycle operators in the region around three weeks ago.
Operators from different parts of Kawo were apparently at loggerheads.
One homeowner who described herself as Mama said the tension began when a group of riders blocked a key road early in the morning preventing others from getting access to the route.
She claimed the group was armed and threatened other riders who were not part of their group, causing injuries and damage to a tricycle.
The incident was subsequently reported to have provoked reprisals between the warring gangs.
Another resident, named as Barrister, agreed the situation was one of significant traffic congestion and fear but other road users were not specifically targeted.
One resident, who did not want to be named, said the situation was “very disturbing” and urged for urgent help.
On his part, a social observer, Sagiru Yarima, said the increased violence was as a result of increasing drug misuse among teenagers and political actors’ impact.
He said the activities of the gangs have continued to develop over the years and mentioned some localities in Kano as flashpoints for such attacks.
He said some groups are also beginning to use guns made locally, which adds to security issues.
He appealed to political leaders, traditional institutions and religious figures to take resolute action and urged citizens to reject any form of political violence.
The Kano State Police Command said it was monitoring the situation and has escalated attempts to restore order.
The Command informed residents of ongoing operations to forestall future escalation, saying many of the fights were opposing groups from inside the same villages.
The police also pointed to the recent creation of a violent crime response team with specially trained personnel to deal with rising security risks.
But neighbors say panic is still mounting as there is doubt regarding the intensity of the violence and the number of casualties, which had not yet been confirmed at the time of reporting this report.
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