Headlines
Why street harassment cases in Kano are under-reported
Zulaiha Danjuma
The coordinator National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Shehu Abdullahi has identified three factors that increase the number of under-reported cases of street harassment in Kano state
Mr. Abdullahi told KANO FOCUS that the three factors are; Non regard of Street harassment as a form of sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), Stigma, and Lack of awareness
Non-regard of street harassment as a form of SGBV
Mr. Abdullahi said the reason why street harassment cases are under-reported is because it is not considered as a case of SGBV by victims
“Throughout the year 2023 they were not more than 10 cases of street harassment that got reported to the commission, unlike cases of rape that we have a lot of data”
“Victims do not take it as serious as they take other cases of sexual and gender based violence”
“The number of street harassment cases are usually minimal, especially if the incident has not gotten to the level of certain sexual abuses” Mr. Abdullahi said
Stigma
Mr. Abdullahi said most of the cases that relate to street harassment are usually entangled in work related relationships
“We receive cases of sexual harassment in public places concerning clients, visitors or even work colleagues”
“If a married woman is been harassed in a public place due to the work sitting by a client or colleague she may feel awkward to report because of the interpretation society will give to the whole case if it’s exposed”
” Even her husband may start to suspect a fowl play, that may affect her work,” he said.
Lack of Awareness
The coordinator said many people are not aware that street harassment could lead to other forms of sexual and gender based violence, hence, they do not considered street harassment as a serious offense be to reported.
“No matter how small an offense is if it is not reported and handle by the provisions of the law there will definitely be an increase of such offense.
“When people are not punished for committing offenses like street harassment, more people will take it upon themselves to commit more of such offense” he said.
Victims shared their experience
Some victims of various forms of street harassment shared their experience with Kano Focus. One of them is Aisha Abdulkadir, a tertiary student and an intern at a popular local radio station in Kano state
Ms. Abdulkadir said the kind of street harassment experience she had was of verbal abuse and derogatory comments
“It was on 1st may 2023 I was going to my class three security guards in my school started making sneak noises and hissing at me to get my attention.
“I was on a call as I walked towards them I didn’t respond to them while they made efforts to get my attention, so when I got close enough they started to yell and shout insulting and derogatory words at me.
“They queried me for not responding to their call and I told them that I didn’t know they were speaking to me since they didn’t address me directly.
“Then they just started to verbally haul abused and insults at me and even threatened that they had the right to rusticate me from the school, ” she said.
Maryam Lamin (not her real name) had a similar experience while working on the streets of Sharada in Kano state
She suffered verbal abuse from a young man just for turning down his romantic advances.
“I was working to see a friend that lived few blocks away from where I met the boy who started to follow me and profess love to me.
“He asked for my name and my phone number which I declined, he continued to follow me and pushed me harder to give him my contact but I simply walked on and ignored him.
“At some point he got really angry and started to shout at me saying that I was not even beautiful and he was just trying to help me by speaking to me.
“He even when no to rain abuses on my mother, verbally insulting me and saying who was I to ignore him,” she recalled.
Ms Lamin went on to say that the encounter shocked her and made her sad because she had never believed she could have such an experience.
I wasn’t expecting being groped at a market
25 years old Zarah Bulma (not her real name) said when a stranger at the popular kwari market robbed his genitals against her buttocks she froze.
“I never expected such a thing, I have heard about such incidents in the market and public places but I never thought it would happen to me.
“We were all clustered together trying to move through the large amount of goods laying on the road when suddenly I felt something rub against my buttocks.
“At first I thought it was because of the cluster of people standing so close to each other so I tried to adjust and move forward a bit, when i suddenly felt a male pushing and rubbing against my buttocks.
“I froze for a split second because I was in shock, then I used my elbows to hit the man in his stomach area, immediately he hurriedly turn back and walked away.
“I never got a good look at his face I only saw that he was wearing white, ” she said.
Similarly, a journalist, Hadiza Yusuf narrated to KANO FOCUS how a man unsolicitedly showed her his genitals at a Petrol station on her way to cover a story.
“In November 2023, I was supposed to go to a local government area to cover a story with a colleague, so I had to wait for my colleague around Unguwa uku.
“Before unguwa uku there is a junction and by the junction is a Petrol station where I decided to stand while waiting for my colleague.
Ms Yusuf added that a few trailers were packed inside the Petrol station which provided a temporary shade.
“So I stayed by the side of two trailers blocking the sun and shielding me from the full glare of the public.
“When suddenly a man started walking up to me unzipped his trousers and brought out his genitals.
“I was shocked, and the man start saying I should come and take, I was shocked and wandered what he meant by that statement.
“He continued to walk up closer to me saying that I should come and take, so I just pretended that I didn’t know what he was talking about, ” she said.
Ms Yusuf said she was shocked that a man well dressed and looking responsible could exhibit such behavior.
“I then had to leave the place and I went and stood at the main road, when he saw that I moved away he then pretended that nothing happened and zipped up.
“But he didn’t leave, he stood and kept on watching me, then he walked closer to me again and stood beside me then started saying in Hausa ‘zo muje mana’ (come lets go), this was while i was now standing at the main road and not inside the petrol station anymore.
“I then left that place again, so he would leave me alone but he kept following me. So, I stood my ground and refused to move any further, because I knew he couldn’t do anything crazy in the full glare of the public, then he got tired and left, ” she said.
According to UN Women harassment is any improper and unwelcome conduct that might reasonably be expected or perceived to cause offense or humiliation to any person. Street harassments are any verbal, physical or physiological harm done to people in public spaces
The UN women said harassment may take either forms of words, gastures, or actions which tend to annoy, alarm, demean, intimidate, belittle, humiliate or embarrass another or which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
In Nigeria, according to a 2019 report by Guardian Newspaper with support from Code for Africa Lagos state ranked the highest state with market harassment experiences in the country with a figure of 71.1%. The report also said that among the demography largely affected by this kind of street harassment were females between the ages of 21-25 and 31-35, representing a percentage of 26.5% and 21.7% respectively.
Despite the fact the Guardian Newspaper report did not capture incidents of street harassment in Kano state, Kano Focus gathers that the perpetration of varying kinds of street harassment exist in the state.
But these incidents are rarely if ever reported to security agencies or in the media for different socio-cultural reasons, among others.
The issue of street harassment though not explicitly stated in the Penal code, which stand as the body of law used in Kano state and other Northern states in Nigeria.
The Penal code did make references to harassment in Section 285, where is says this, ” Whoever commits an act of gross indecency upon the person of another without his consent or by the use of force or threats compels a person to join with him in the commission of that act, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 7 years and shall ; he liable to fine”.
KANO FOCUS reached out the Kano state police command through it’s public relations officer SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa on whether the command receives and handles cases of alleged street harassments.
However, Mr. Kiyawa was not available to speak to the reporter as of the time of filing this report.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Nafisah Yusuf Hassan, a magistrate in Kano State, has been recommended for appointment as a judge of the Kano State High Court by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Hassan is among four judicial officers from Kano State recommended for elevation to the High Court bench out of 28 candidates selected nationwide.
The other nominees are Halima Yahuza Ahmad, Abdullahi Abdulsalam Bature and Musa Ibrahim Umar.
The NJC disclosed the recommendations in a statement issued by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, following its consideration of candidates for judicial appointments across the country.
The council said all recommended candidates were expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
Hassan’s recommendation follows her years of service in the Kano State judiciary, where she has reportedly distinguished herself through diligence, professionalism and careful handling of cases.
She has been commended for her commitment to judicial ethics, diligence and fairness in the discharge of her responsibilities, achievements that contributed to her career progression within the judiciary.
Her elevation is part of a broader development in the Kano State judiciary, with four magistrates from the state successfully scaling the selection process for appointment to the High Court.
The four nominees were reportedly assessed during the selection exercise and demonstrated strong professional competence, while their service records were found to be free of adverse remarks.
Their recommendation marks a significant step in their judicial careers and is expected to strengthen the judicial workforce in Kano State upon their formal appointment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) says it has tracked nearly 1,000 education projects across the state as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and effective service delivery in the education sector.
KANO FOCUS the coalition’s Co-Chair, Dr Auwalu Halilu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an advocacy visit to the Kano State Ministry of Public Procurement and Project Monitoring.
Dr Halilu said K-SAFE had monitored projects in more than six local government areas, covering interventions implemented by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano State Senior Secondary Education Management Board and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).
He explained that the monitoring exercise involved physical inspections and documentation of projects through photographs, videos and geographical locations.
According to him, reports of the findings had been submitted to relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), highlighting projects that met required standards and those requiring further attention.
He cited Rimin Gado Local Government Area, where the coalition tracked more than 80 education projects, adding that it planned to extend the exercise to all 44 local government areas of the state.
The K-SAFE Co-Chair said the visit was aimed at presenting the coalition’s activities to the ministry and exploring areas of collaboration in procurement and project monitoring.
He called for the inclusion of civil society organisations in procurement and monitoring processes, particularly tender board activities and field inspections, to strengthen independent oversight and provide them with firsthand information on government projects.
Dr Halilu also requested the ministry’s support in organising capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations on procurement procedures, due process, project standardisation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said such training would enhance civil society organisations’ understanding of procurement regulations and the technical requirements guiding project implementation.
Responding, the Commissioner for Public Procurement and Project Monitoring, Dr Nura Iro Ma’aji, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the coalition’s contributions to supporting the state government’s efforts in the education sector.
He expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with K-SAFE through information sharing and other relevant engagements to strengthen accountability and ensure compliance with due process.
“From our side, we are ready to work together because we know what they have been doing to support Kano State Government in the education sector,” he said.
Dr Halilu further disclosed that the coalition and its partner organisations had carried out the monitoring exercise without financial sponsorship, describing it as a demonstration of their commitment to transparency and accountability.
He reaffirmed K-SAFE’s commitment to sustaining engagement with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and the media to strengthen oversight of education projects across Kano State.
Ibrahim Khalil
Government Secondary School (GSS) Army Day Bukavu has emerged champion in both the male and female categories of the maiden Kano State Secondary Schools Tug of War Competition.
KANO FOCUS reports that the school clinched the double victory at the competition, which ended on Wednesday at the Kano Pillars Stadium, Sabon Gari, Kano.
Governors College finished as runners-up in the male category, while Government Girls College (GGC) Kano secured second position in the female category.
The competition was organised by the Kano State Tug of War Association in collaboration with the state Ministry of Education, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Kano State Sports Commission.
The maiden championship brought together secondary school students to promote teamwork, discipline, unity and sportsmanship, while raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Vice Chairman of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Jamilu Uba Adamu, described the competition as a successful initiative that had achieved its objectives.
He commended the Ministry of Education, Sports Commission, NDLEA, Gongoni Company Limited and MAGZO Pharmaceutical for supporting the event, particularly through the provision of T-shirts and Pocari Sweat drinks.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Bashir Muhammad Sulaiman, who represented the Executive Chairman of the Sports Commission, Muhammad Tukur Babangida, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to developing grassroots and school sports.
He said the initiative would help identify and nurture young sporting talents across the state.
The closing ceremony was attended by a member of the Kano State Football Association Board, Rilwanu Idris Malikawa Garu, representatives of the Ministry of Education, NDLEA, the Sports Commission and other stakeholders in the sports sector.
The organisers congratulated the winning schools and commended all participating institutions and partners for contributing to the success of the maiden edition.
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GSS Army Day Bukavu Wins Maiden Kano Secondary Schools Tug of War Championship
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