Headlines
Drivers protest in Kano after KAROTA officials damage trailer’s tyres
By Mukhtar Yahya Usman
Angry drivers on Friday used many long trucks to barricade the eastern bypass thoroughfare on Yankaba-Hotoro area in protest after some officials of the Kano Road and Traffic Agency (KAROTA) used deflation device to puncture tyres of a trailer.
The incident is coming just six days after a KAROTA official, Abdurrahman Bayero, was crushed to death by a trailer driver around the same area.
Kano Focus reports that trouble started after the three KAROTA operatives stopped a truck driver who was just entering the city and demanded payment of revenue.
But the driver, Rabiu Ali, reportedly refused to pay the money, saying he had already made the same payment to other KAROTA personnel before arriving at that point.
Mr Ali also produced a receipt as evidence to support his claim, according to eyewitnesses.
However, it was learnt that the traffic officials, rejected the receipt and insisted that the trucker must make a fresh payment, a demand he also refused.
Angry with Mr Ali, who has since started driving away, the KAROTA operatives pushed a deflation device in his path, which immediately shredded and damaged three of the vehicle’s tires.
Outraged by the traffic officials’ act, Mr Ali, abandoned the vehicle in the middle of the road in protest, the witnesses said.
“The driver refused to pay and tried to move but one of the three KAROTA officials pushed a huge metal spike in his path. The vehicle drove over the spikes which burst three of its tires. That’s why the driver blocked the road,” an eyewitness Ibrahim Abdullahi said.
It was gathered that other truckers plying the road soon joined the fray and also switched of their vehicles, causing a heavy traffic gridlock which lasted for over five hours in the area, putting many vehicle owners in distress.
The protesters vowed not to vacate the road until the KAROTA officials responsible for damaging the truck’s tires were arrested.
But another eyewitness Abubakar Muhammed said Mr Ali had already agreed to make another payment of N2,000 to the KAROTA officials and was trying to park, when his tires were damaged.
“He was trying to park but the KAROTA officials thought he was attempting to run that’s why they threw him a big metal with nails that punctured his tires and quickly ran away,” he said.
However KAROTA spokesperson Nabilisi Abubakar Kofar Na’isa denied the allegations against the agency’s personnel.
He said the traffic officials tried to stop the affected truck for a search but the driver refused to stop, compelling them to use a deflation device to force him to stop.
“As you know every truck that comes to Kano must be searched to see what the truck is carrying. This was what we tried to do but the driver resisted.
“Our personnel had shown him the deflation device and threatened to use it but he still ignored the warning and they had to use it to deflate his tires. The driver then abandoned the vehicle and caused a traffic snarl,” Mr Kofar Na’isa said.
He added that the matter had been reported to the police for investigation.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited has announced that its ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) remains unchanged, reaffirming its commitment to stability in Nigeria’s domestic energy market.
In a statement issued by Esan Sunday, Head of Media Relations, Branding and Communication, the company said sustaining the current price reflects its efforts to cushion the broader economy against external shocks. It noted that by absorbing prevailing cost pressures, the refinery is helping to moderate inflationary risks, promote energy affordability, and ensure uninterrupted fuel supply amid ongoing global uncertainties.
The company reiterated its dedication to the steady supply of high-quality petroleum products to the Nigerian market, while aligning with national objectives of price stability and energy security.
It also urged the public to rely solely on official communications from the refinery for accurate and up-to-date information regarding its operations and pricing.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo on his emergence as the Deputy Governor of Kano State following his swearing-in on Tuesday.
KANO FOCUS reports that Garo was sworn in by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf after being nominated to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former deputy governor, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described Garo’s appointment as a positive step toward strengthening unity within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State.
The President noted that the 48-year-old politician has held several public offices, including Chairman of Kabo Local Government Area and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs during the administration of former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. He also served as the APC governorship running mate in the 2023 general elections.
Tinubu commended Governor Yusuf for the appointment, urging political stakeholders in the state to rally behind the administration to ensure stability and progress.
He also called on the new deputy governor to work closely with the governor in delivering effective leadership and accelerating development in Kano State.
The President wished Garo success in his new role.
Ibrahim Khalil
A dramatic political moment unfolded in Kano on Tuesday as former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje publicly acknowledged Muhammad Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano and Chairman of the Kano State Council of Emirs.
KANO FOCUS reports that the unexpected gesture occurred during the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed Deputy Governor, Murtala Sule Garo, at Government House, Kano—an event attended by top political leaders and traditional rulers.
While delivering his goodwill message, Ganduje addressed Sanusi by his full royal title, drawing immediate attention from dignitaries at the ceremony. The audience responded with loud applause when he greeted the Emir and recognised his position as head of the Kano Emirate Council.
The development is particularly significant given the long-standing rift between the two figures. Sanusi was removed from the throne during Ganduje’s administration, a decision that sparked widespread political and legal controversy at the time.
However, the political landscape shifted following the emergence of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, under whose administration Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano.
Observers say Ganduje’s public acknowledgment signals a possible easing of tensions and may point to broader efforts at reconciliation within Kano’s political and traditional institutions.
The moment has since been described by analysts as a “twist of fate” in Kano politics, where former rivalries appear to be giving way to cautious gestures of respect among key actors.
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