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Stakeholders at a high-level roundtable organised by the Kano Concerned Journalists’ Forum (KCJF) have warned that insecurity in Kano State is escalating due to banditry, cross-border criminality and socio-economic pressures, calling for urgent and coordinated action by government and security agencies.
The roundtable held on December 25, 2025, at the Conference Hall of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), brought together retired military and police officers, security and intelligence experts, human rights advocates, government officials, community leaders and journalists .
In a communiqué signed by Brig. Gen. Lawal Ja’afar Isa (rtd), participants noted that “insecurity in Kano State is driven by a combination of long-standing herder–farmer conflicts, disputes over cattle and land, illegal mining activities, resource discoveries, and the operations of organised criminal networks exploiting porous borders and ungoverned forest areas”.
They further observed that banditry in the state is sustained by “a complex criminal ecosystem comprising arms dealers, drug traffickers, logistics suppliers, corrupt intermediaries, and local informants,” warning that youth unemployment and economic marginalisation continue to increase vulnerability to criminal recruitment .
According to the communiqué, porous trade and supply routes linking Kano to neighbouring states have made it easier for criminals to move weapons, supplies and personnel, stressing that “effective response requires coordinated intelligence, community engagement, capacity building for security actors, and responsible media reporting” .
The forum recommended strengthening the Safe Corridor Initiative, enhancing interagency and interstate intelligence sharing, and equipping and regulating community and neighbourhood watch groups to improve surveillance while ensuring accountability.
Other recommendations included “prioritising specialised training and modern equipment for security personnel,” implementing youth empowerment and reintegration programmes, improving documentation of security incidents, and establishing clear protocols for media–security collaboration to support conflict-sensitive reporting .
While commending the Kano State and Federal Governments for their response to recent security threats, participants urged all stakeholders to act without delay. “Immediate steps must be taken to strengthen intelligence coordination, expand community-based prevention and reintegration programmes, and invest in the capacity of security and civic actors to safeguard lives and livelihoods,” the communiqué stated .
The roundtable resolved to submit the communiqué and a detailed report to the Kano State Governor and other relevant authorities, and to organise a town hall meeting to deepen public consultation on insecurity in the state.
