KCJF Roundtable Raises Alarm on Insecurity, Calls for Coordinated Action in Kano

A high-level, multi-stakeholder roundtable organized by the Kano Concerned Journalists’ Forum (KCJF) has identified deep-rooted socio-economic and security challenges as key drivers of the growing insecurity in Kano State, while calling for urgent, coordinated action by government, security agencies and communities to stem the tide.

The forum, which held on December 25, 2025, at the Conference Hall of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), focused on the rising threats posed by armed banditry, cross-border criminality and other security-related concerns affecting public safety and livelihoods.

The roundtable attracted a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including retired military and police officers, security and intelligence experts, government representatives, human rights advocates, community leaders and journalists.

Through expert presentations and evidence-based discussions, participants examined the evolving security landscape in Kano, particularly the spillover effects of criminal activities from neighbouring states and the exploitation of porous borders and forested areas by organized criminal networks.

In its communiqué, the forum concluded that insecurity in Kano is fueled by a combination of longstanding herder–farmer conflicts, disputes over cattle and land ownership, illegal mining activities and emerging competition over newly discovered resources.

Participants noted that banditry thrives within a complex criminal ecosystem involving arms dealers, drug traffickers, logistics suppliers, corrupt intermediaries and local informants, all of whom sustain and shield criminal operations.

The roundtable further identified youth unemployment and economic marginalization as major factors increasing the vulnerability of young people to recruitment by criminal gangs. It observed that porous trade routes and supply chains linking Kano with neighbouring states have made it easier for weapons, supplies and criminal elements to move undetected, thereby compounding security challenges across the region.

To address these concerns, the forum adopted far-reaching recommendations, including the strengthening of the Safe Corridor Initiative to involve communities in early warning, monitoring and reintegration efforts. It also called for enhanced inter-state and inter-agency intelligence sharing, structured joint operations against criminal networks, and the development of a lawful and human rights–compliant watch list to enable targeted monitoring of suspected individuals.

Other key recommendations include equipping, training and regulating community and neighbourhood watch groups to expand territorial surveillance, while ensuring accountability and oversight. The forum emphasized the need for specialized training and modern equipment for security personnel, including advanced communication devices and technology to counter guerrilla-style tactics, as well as comprehensive youth empowerment and skills acquisition programmes to reduce the pool of recruits for criminal groups.

Participants also stressed the importance of improved documentation and data management of security incidents, casualties, displacement and property losses to support evidence-based decision-making.

They advocated for clear protocols to guide media–security collaboration and conflict-sensitive reporting, alongside coordinated efforts with neighbouring states to monitor and disrupt criminal supply chains.

While commending the Kano State and Federal Governments for their prompt responses to recent security threats, the forum issued a strong call to action, urging all stakeholders to adopt and implement the recommendations without delay. It resolved to submit the communiqué and full proceedings of the roundtable to the Governor of Kano State and other relevant authorities, while constituting a committee to produce a detailed report and organize a town hall meeting to broaden public engagement.

The communiqué was signed on behalf of the participants by the Chairman of the Roundtable, Brigadier Lawal Ja’afar Isa (rtd), under the auspices of the Kano Concerned Journalists’ Forum (KCJF).