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By Tracy Moses
KANO – A coalition of human rights advocates has called on the police to launch a full-scale investigation into allegations of assault and intimidation leveled against the Chairperson of Tudunwada Local Government Area, Mrs. Sa’adatu Salisu Yushau.
The petition, filed by the Human Rights Network (HRN) Nigeria, accused Yushau of masterminding an attack against residents and artisans in her council area. The document, with reference number HRN/NPC/GEN/V.V192, was addressed to the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Dr. Ibrahim Bakori.
According to the HRN, the alleged incident occurred on August 29, 2025, when thugs allegedly loyal to the Chairperson stormed a workshop at Kofar Yamma, Unguwar Rariya Quarters, attacking the occupants with guns, machetes, and other dangerous weapons. Victims reportedly sustained various degrees of injuries while properties running into millions of naira were destroyed.
The petition was signed by Comrade A.A. Haruna Ayagi, Country Director of HRN, and based on the complaint of Mallam Suwidi Umar, a long-time resident and artisan in Tudunwada. Umar alleged that the Chairperson personally led the gang of thugs that descended on him, his workmen, and apprentices.
Quoting from the petition, HRN stated:
“Sa’adatu Salisu Yushau, using her position as Chairperson, mobilized and led dangerous thugs and political hooligans to attack us and our workplaces at Kofar Gari. The assault left us with serious injuries and caused destruction of our properties worth millions of naira.”
Root of the Dispute
Background checks by HRN revealed that the clash stemmed from a long-standing dispute over the ownership and use of the premises. Umar claimed that the land where his workshop is located was duly allocated to him by the local government authorities as far back as 1999. However, he alleged that the present Chairperson had been making attempts to evict him and reallocate the site.
According to the rights group, the Chairperson’s resort to violence and intimidation has worsened the conflict, subjecting Umar and his workers to untold hardship. HRN insisted that such actions, if left unchecked, could set a dangerous precedent in local governance and embolden political office holders to abuse their positions.
Rights Group’s Intervention
Speaking after submitting the petition to the Kano Police Command, Comrade Idi Haruna Ali, Chairman of the International Human Rights Commission (Nigeria Office), disclosed that his team had conducted an independent fact-finding mission to the scene of the alleged attack.
Ali said they gathered eyewitness testimonies, photographs of the damage, and medical reports of the injured victims. He noted that some of the artisans sustained gunshot wounds, while others were attacked with machetes and clubs.
“We cannot fold our arms and watch ordinary citizens suffer at the hands of political leaders who are supposed to protect them,” Ali declared. “Justice must be served, not only to compensate the victims but also to deter future abuses of power.”
The HRN demanded that the police immediately open a transparent investigation into the allegations and prosecute anyone found culpable, no matter their position. The group also urged the Kano State Government and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to intervene and ensure accountability in the matter.