Is it Kano State of Nigeria or Republic of Kano State?

[usman11]

Monday, 11 May 2009 06:10 By Ndiameeh Babrik

If all the allegations made by the former Kano state Commissioner Alhaji Mohammed Yesufu at his final press conference in Kano are true, then Kano state is more of a Republic of Kano state then being part of Nigerian Federation. For the readers who may have not seen the press conference or had the news let me reproduce some here.

The Police Commissioner was quoted as saying that the Kano state Hisbah sharia police are now superior to the Nigeria police in Kano. That in fact they go to Nigeria police stations and barracks to arrest policemen, women and of course civilians. They close down shops, schools and churches at will. They harass magistrates and area court Judges. When courts of law grant bail, the hisbah police will arrest the suspect and detain him or her again in their make shift prisons.

The Kano state government it appears pays more allegiance to Saudi Arabia and Niger Republic than to Federal Republic of Nigeria. All the above allegations by the Police Commissioner were further confirmed by the interview Dr Babangida Aliyu, the chief servant of Niger state granted the Daily Independence of Thursday, May 7, 2009 and further authenticated by an article on the Sahara reporters.com of Friday May 8, 2009.

 Kano state has its police, it has its own prison and its allegiance is more to Saudi Arabia and Niger Republic then to Nigeria. What and how then do we classify such an entity in the Nigerian Federation? Apart from the above charges by the Former Kano state Police commissioner, it is on record that more Nigerian citizens have been killed in Kano in religious crises than anywhere else in Nigeria and paralleled only by the civil war. Non Hausas particularly southerners and middle belters are always the prime target. The case that easily comes to my mind was the broad day light behaving of Gideon Akaluka in Sabon Gari market in 1990 by Islamic fundamentalist.

Since the coming of Ibrahim Shekarau to the Kano political scene, the Kano intransigence against the Nigerian Federation has become pronounced more than ever before.

I can conclude and safely say that the only major link between the Republic of Kano state if I may use the word and the Nigerian Federation is the fact that, Nigeria still pays the federal allocation to Republic of Kano. Republic of Kano still has its citizens working in the Federal republic of Nigeria. In fact it has 22 members in the Nigerian House of Representatives. The Nigerian ministers of Finance and National planning are all from Republic of Kano as well as the Chief of Army staff of the Nigerian Army. All these are senior positions by Nigerian standard while all the states of Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa, Gombe and Kogi can boast of are paltry junior ministers called the ministers of state.

It is disturbing however that despite the fact that Kano state has been trampling on the fundamental humans rights of Nigerians by preventing them from right to freedom of religion as enshrined in Constitution Federal Republic of Nigeria section 38 sub section one. Freedom of expression and association sections 39&40.

Right to own property sections 43&44. The Federal House of Representatives which is always quick to point accusing fingers to Plateau state have never found it expedient and necessary to even condemn these unlawful and barbaric behavior by Kano state. Even when Kano state have now confined the Nigeria Police to the dust bin of powerless force in Kano as confirmed by Kano state former Police Commissioner.

By the way, is what Kano state doing not akin to introducing true federalism through the back door? While other states like Abia, Lagos and Anambra have been prevented from owning state police, why the preferential treatment for Kano state to own the hisbah police which is now superior to the Nigeria police.

House of Representatives are you there, what is good for Plateau state is surely good for Kano state. I therefore expect you to condemn Kano state for usurping the Federal police through the Hisbah sharia police otherwise you guys have hidden agenda against Plateau state and Nigeria in general. Now that you have completely grounded the constitution amendment exercise which is more important to us than anything else you guys will do for now.

You guys should as a matter of national important rise a motion in the House this week to condemn Kano state.

[bakangizo]

Shut up and go away. Don't bother us with such rubbish. No one here is naive, childish and stupid.

[Dave_McEwan_Hill]

Bakan-Gizo

Is that meant to be a serious reply to a very serious charge? How sad. 

[Muhsin]

Hmm...

Old Dave,
I wonder how you call Usman11's delusive thread "a serious charge". Its more than enough to provoke anger much worst than the one manifested in BKGZ's short reply. Its wholly fallacious if not completely fraudelent, wallahi. I couldn't even waste my valued time to read the rest of it.

Usman11,
thats really below you. Where on God's earth is your rationale to believe such baseless, snooty, offish and bogus report? You, to be very frank, rather sound simpleton. I hope you'll soon rather delete it. Don't let other forum members to read. Pls do it this way. Thanks

[usman11]

LOL        Bakan Gizo and Muhsin, your responses are so hilarious. Thanks for making me laugh. Gizo, you need to take a chill pill. Muhsin, you need a lot of work yourself. I would seriously hope you can re-evalute your total mindset in regards to your overly sensitive reaction to everything. If everyone reacted to things the way you do, society wouldn't move an inch forward. Having said that, let's talk a little about your grievance here.

If you look at the article, you'd notice I didn't write it. The report clearly lists the author as Ndiameeh Babrik. However, this article is not just a report compiled by Ndiameeh base on his/her opinion. There appears to be documented statements made by senior state law enforcement personnel in the state that corroborate the writer's report.

Muhsin, when you state emphatically that I believe the story, can you point to any particular statement where I expressed belief in this report? Please show me. I didn't even offer an opinion, yet you are so bent out of shape because of its content. If you disagree with any part of the article, why not refute it with facts? Isn't that the rational thing to do? And as to your request that I delete this posting, I will gladly comply if you can provide me with a compelling reason to do so.

The writer of this article raised a few issues. Some of those issues are debatable on either side. I cannot speak on the state's allegiance to Saudi Arabia and Niger. On some of the other issues like human rights supression, etc, I'll let those slide. However in regards to the Hisbah sharia police, here is my question.

Does Kano state not have a hisbah sharia police? If they do, what are you so angry about if the report states what's a known fact? I actually have no problem with Kano state having its own police force. I support Kano state's right to organize its own seperate police force if they did so legislatively, and if that was the people's will. Given the fact the Nigerian police force has not been an efficient law enforcement agency in decades, then it leaves individual states little option other than to create their own police departments in order to address public safety challenges. What I oppose is using Federal money to fund individual state police force. That should be the responsibility of the states.

We should also understand that if states want to gain more autonomy, it then becomes an issue that should be addressed in the National assembly, agreed upon, and then signed into law. This way, no one is unilaterarily adopting laws and practices that violate Federal laws. This way, everyone is on the same page, and the Federal government stays out of the state's business. I think it is important to point out that if certain states decide to unilaterarily adopt automous laws and practices, other states could very well 'nationalize' their resources and keep the revenue they generate from operating those resources in their state cofers, thereby destabilizing the nation's economic life line, and by extension causing a ripple in World financial markets.

The point is, regardless of positions, things have to be done in a civilized and legislative way especially if we claim to be a democratic nation. If certain states want to secede from the Federation, I think they should have a right to. It is pointless to remain in a confederacy when one is not happy or would rather be independent. It is better to just have a peaceful secession like Sebia and Montenegro did recently. 

How about that Muhsin? Is that so sensitive for you? 

[bakangizo]

I wonder why I even bothered to reply to this. The issue is not about sensitivity. It is just plain stupid. If you live here, you should know those accusations are practically impossible. And any sensible person should that no way will the said "senior law enforcement officers" say such things. Especially a governor of another northern state (niger). In any case, I read a transcript of what ex-comm. of police Yesufu said on handing over. It might surprise you to learn he was praising the police-hisbah relationship in Kano.

So now you've got what you want - a response to your thread. Now shall we forget this rubbish, and talk about sensible issues?

[Dave_McEwan_Hill]

That's a better response. If the report Usman11 has posted is nonsense refute it by giving the facts.

[Muhsin]

Usman11,

I astonished the way you misunderstand me--I don't all the time take your words or any other member's as that serious. I know where here is, i.e. everyone can just write his/her words no matter how fallacious and fraudulence these words are and claim he/she says "revelation". And that has been happening. So whats there to be taken serious? Nothing.

And regarding this false alarm, seemingly trying to be raised by an anonymous writer, below--BKGZ's reply, aptly debunked and refuted it. Re-read...

I wonder why I even bothered to reply to this. The issue is not about sensitivity. It is just plain stupid. If you live here, you should know those accusations are practically impossible. And any sensible person should that no way will the said "senior law enforcement officers" say such things. Especially a governor of another northern state (niger). In any case, I read a transcript of what ex-comm. of police Yesufu said on handing over. It might surprise you to learn he was praising the police-hisbah relationship in Kano.

So now you've got what you want - a response to your thread. Now shall we forget this rubbish, and talk about sensible issues?

Especially that bold sentence above says everything. And hence, I won't utter any more words.

[usman11]

Muhsin,
Tell me, which intelligent reader or writer would take Bakin Zizo seriously after his reading his initial childish and uncouth outburst? He came back later stating that the issue wasn't about sensitivity. Who said the issue was about sensitivity? His irrational reaction to what could have been a more civil discourse is disappointing. However, this discourse even take a bizzare twist when you came back to quote him as evidence of the article's unaccuracies. Is this a joke? You even suggested that I pay particular attention to the bold portion of Bakin Zizo's comments. So I am supposed to take his word?
At this point, I am of the opinion that both you and Bakin Zizo are not very familiar with the process of debunking 'false' reports. You do not set the record straight by offering an opinion or by dismissing the report as 'rubbish'. Maybe in Nigeria such casual dismissal is enough to sway people, but elsewhere, solid proof to the contrary must be presented.

So Bakin Zizo, you talk about an article you read citing the police commissioner's account of the cordial relationship with the hisbah agents...well, why not present that article to support your story? Do you get the picture?

[Dan-Borno]

kai usman11, is it bakangizo or bakin zizo, dont adulterate my
inlaw's name pls.

[Muhsin]

Usman11,

You too have gone beyond the scope of civility. Your rather harsh response to Bakan~Gizo's replies is out-and-out uncalled for and unwarranted. You should have to appear as you almost always claim yourself as, i.e. who knows how to live, interact and socialize with other people peacefully and harmoniously. Although you are,I have to say, to a certain degree. Yet you should 'maintain' that position. Thanks for your understanding.

Sincerely speaking, whoever, I repeat whosoever lives in Kano read that your delusive thread will definitely know the writer's words are wholly borne out of prejudice, aversion and deep-rooted hatred of Kano State's government and Hisbah Commission. And moreover, he is worst than ill-informed on Kano affair. Thus, nobody, no matter how deaf, dumb, blind or dull he/she is, will believe a word from it.

For example, I have never heard of any of such events happened anywhere in Kano. Neither you do, I supposed, not except in that bogus article. Have you, please? Be sincere, as they say, it costs nothing to be. Furthermore, no any local, national or international media has ever aired/broadcasted  anything of that sort. Thus, w can evidently enough understand that that is a complete fabrication and concoction of practically inconceivable lies.

Got lots to say. But have lots to do on the net. I have to stop from here. Wish and hope you'll open your heart to gist and digest the little I've written. Thanks