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Kano tricycles: A boomerang of government’s bad policies.
Abbas Yushau Yusuf
Governments in Nigeria are synonymous with lack of consistency in implementing policies for the welfare and wellbeing of the people, be they local, state, or federal these governments. When it comes to policy formulation and implementation governments are very passionate in organizing conferences and talk shows for the purpose of impressing the public that they are very serious in solving problems.
One of the sectors Kano is grappling with apart from healthcare and education is transportation. Kano is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. According to the 2006 population census, the state is the most populous with 9.5 million people. Instead of the city to boast of one of the best transportation systems in Nigeria, the transportation system in the state is one of the worst considering the nature and the population the state is blessed with.
The state has not prepared for a robust transportation system when new settlements are springing with ever increasing population. When Nigeria returned to democracy successive governments did not organize how the transportation system of the state will look like. Government should not shoulder all the responsibilities of how Kano people will be transported to their places of daily routine but it must be responsible for how the people will feel the best when going out from their houses in search of greener pastures every day.
In the late and early nineties the best transportation system for the state then consisted of buses popularly known in local parlance as KIYAKIYA. These are set of ruptured buses carrying passengers in Kano from nooks and crannies of the state emanating from the central nexus at BATA.
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Taxis which were plying some roads in the state were then not enough to transport people to their destination. The taxi business started dying with the abandonment of the business by a particular ethnic group in the state, and it has not been revived by indigenous business men of the state. That made the people of Kano to only survive with KIYAKIYA absorbing the heat of the dying vehicle which may have led to the passengers developing hypertension. Moreover the bus conductors were rude youths who had not attended any school and were not trained to respect anybody.
Ban on Achaba
Later came the Okada riders who were riding motorcycles in the state. These folks known as Yan Achaba littered the streets of Kano in less than two decades. Instead of Okada riders to become solution to the state’s transportation crises, they became daily causes of fractured limbs; most accident and emergency units of state hospitals became hosts to Achaba crash victims. As the days go by motorcycle riders became a nuisance to Kano metropolis before they became a total abomination due to insurgency in the year 2012.
Motorcycles were used by insurgents to attack soft targets in the state. That forced Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso’s administration in January 2013 to offer cogent reasons for abandoning the trade and that led youths who are mostly jobless within the state to resort to another transportation business, which is tricycle known as Adaidaita Sahu.
People welcomed the ban on Achaba but government’s abrupt ending of the business did not provide a plan for the restoration of robust transportation business which all and sundry can patronize in Kano. Instead of graduating to the 21st century transportation business in the state, Kano graduated to another nuisance, leaving the whole lot of masses to suffer with the alternatives of Adaidaita Sahu even though it has led to the provision of Job to teeming youth, some aged men in the state who cannot have a means of living.
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In the next few years Kano roads will be hard to occupy with the resurgence of Adaidaita Sahu every day. The government is not serious in regulating their activities not banning them, as there are sources that say the government of Kano is even mulling the idea of banning Tricycle operators, despite the fact that some are using it to perpetrate crime.
Now Adaidata Sahu are plying the metropolitan roads without government knowing their exact number making it easy to carry out crimes with them.
Adaidaita Sahu what is it? Is it not government negligence and failure to checkmate their activities?
Abbas Yushau’u Yusuf, a Kano-based journalist and public affairs commentator can be reached at abyushau2@gmail.com
The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, Kano has commenced a week-long competition across selected secondary schools as part of its commitment to the holistic development of adolescent girls.
KANO FOCUS reports that the AGILE Week 2025 features volleyball, basketball, spelling bee, painting, poetry, essay writing, short story and content creation competitions.
GGC Dala VS GGC Kano
On Basketball Girls category, Government Girls College Dala won 1st position, Government Girls College Kano 2nd while Army Day Secondary School emerged 3rd, while on male category Ahmadiyya College won 1st position with Army Day Secondary School as runners up.
On volleyball Girls category Army Day Secondary School won 1st position, Government Girls College Dala emerged 2nd while Government Girls College Kano secured 3rd position, while on male category Government Girls Secondary School Minjibir won 1st position with Ahmadiyya College as runners up.
Basketball competition
Speaking during the ongoing AGILE Games 2025 Week activities at the Government Girls College (GGC) Gala, State Project Coordinator, Malam Mujtaba Aminu, explained the purpose of the event and its significance.
“We are here for the AGILE Week. It is a key programme under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment Project. This initiative is designed to showcase talent and intellectual skills among adolescent girls,” he said.
Basketball Competition
Aminu noted that sporting activities were chosen to help build confidence, encourage healthy competition, and foster teamwork among girls.
“Yesterday, we held a basketball competition where the winners emerged, and today we are continuing with volleyball. The top players from these games will be selected to represent the state in a friendly match against Kebbi State next week.”
Malam Mujtaba Aminu and Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
According to him, the event is not just a one-off occurrence. “It’s an annual event designed for this purpose. Initially, it was rolled out in seven states, but now the programme has expanded to include 18 to 21 states. So, next year’s games and competitions will be even bigger.”
The AGILE Project, supported by the World Bank, aims to improve secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls in Nigeria by enhancing infrastructure, providing scholarships, and supporting life-skills programmes—of which AGILE Week is a vital component.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim ANIPR,
Communication Officer,
AGILE Kano.
As part of sweeping preparations for the successful conduct of the 2025/1446 Hajj exercise, the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has inaugurated a 300-member support team structured into seven critical committees to serve Kano pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ orientation program in Kano, the Director General of the Board, Alhaji Lamin Rabi’u Danbappa, said the teams were carefully selected to deliver essential services that ensure safety, discipline, health, and effective communication for pilgrims.
Each of the seven committees has been assigned a specialized role, led by experienced professionals:
• Orientation Committee led by Sheikh Tijjani Sani Mai Hula, will oversee the training, sensitization, and spiritual guidance of intending pilgrims.
• Tribunal Committee, chaired by Barrister Ibrahim Haruna Khalil, is tasked with handling internal disputes and disciplinary matters.
• Hisbah Committee under the leadership of Dr. Mujahiddeen Aminuddeen, will promote Islamic ethics and moral conduct among pilgrims.
• Medical Committee, headed by Dr. Ibrahim Musa, will manage healthcare delivery and emergency response.
• Environmental Committee, led by Sanusi Kabir, will ensure cleanliness and hygienic conditions in pilgrims’ accommodations.
• Media Committee, coordinated by Ibrahim Adam, will provide coverage, updates, and documentation of Hajj activities.
• Social Media Committee, led by Is-haq Abdullahi, will handle real-time digital communication and public engagement.
“These seven committees form the backbone of our 2025 Hajj operations,” said Alhaji Danbappa. “With the full support of His Excellency Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, we are confident this team will deliver world-class services to our pilgrims in line with global best practices.”
He added that Governor Yusuf has provided all necessary logistics, resources, and morale support to ensure the teams operate effectively and uphold Kano’s long-standing reputation for well-organized Hajj missions.
The stakeholders’ event drew participants from religious institutions, travel agencies, health sectors, and civil society, all committed to a smooth and spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage for Kano indigenes.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has officially launched its 2025 Hajj operations with the deployment of its Advance Team to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The team, made up of key operational personnel and senior members of the National Medical Team, departed from Abuja on Monday after a symbolic farewell ceremony at the Hajj House.
During the send-off, the Director of Administration and Human Resources, Alhaji Babagana Bukar, formally presented the team to the NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman. He praised their exceptional contribution to last year’s Hajj success and expressed confidence in their ability to deliver yet again. Bukar also appealed to the commission’s leadership to maintain strong institutional support to ensure another seamless exercise.
In his charge to the team, Professor Usman urged them to treat the mission with utmost seriousness and spiritual reverence.
“You are not going there to sleep; you are going there to serve the Guests of Allah,” he emphasized. “Support each other, work in unity, and serve with sincerity. Your success is our collective success.”
He assured them of the Commission’s full backing and reminded them to carry out their duties with the fear of Allah.
Echoing the Chairman’s sentiments, Commissioner for Planning, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services (PRSILS), Professor Abubakar Yagawal, described the Advance Team as the heartbeat of the Hajj operation. He stressed the need for dedication, integrity, and impartiality in their work, calling on them to approach the task with clear purpose and patience.
On behalf of NAHCON’s executive management, Dr. Mustapha Sani, Secretary to the Commission, confirmed that the team’s welfare packages had been fully approved, assuring them of continued support throughout the Hajj season.
“You are laying the foundation for this year’s operation,” Dr. Sani noted. “Your success is the Commission’s success.”
Speaking on behalf of the Advance Team, Director of Inspectorate and Compliance and Deputy Makkah Coordinator, Alidu Shutti, thanked the leadership for their confidence and pledged unwavering professionalism.
“We are trained, experienced, and fully ready. We will not disappoint you,” he said, appealing for sustained support from the top.
The Advance Team is tasked with crucial responsibilities including securing accommodation for pilgrims, setting up airport reception logistics, and coordinating with Saudi Hajj officials—efforts that form the backbone of Nigeria’s Hajj operations.
Their departure signals a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey to the 2025 Hajj and the beginning of a meticulously coordinated national pilgrimage to one of the world’s largest spiritual gatherings.
Would you like a Hausa version of this news story as well?
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