Three Feared Dead During Robbery Attack

At least three persons including a policeman were feared dead this evening at the Kantin Kwari market, Kano, North-West Nigeria when robbers stormed the famous textile market.

According to eyewitness account, the robbers came in about two cars at 5:30 p.m. shooting sporadically in the air as people ran helter-skelter for dear lives.

“They came at a time when most people have started closing for the day. People were taken unawares as they moved from shop to shop looting money and wares. I can confirm to you that at least three persons including a policeman were gunned down,” Aminu Ibrahim, an apprentice who witnessed the incident told P.M.NEWS.

Ibrahim added that so many people got injured.

“Money in different currencies running into millions of naira was carted away by the robbers, including textile materials and other wares sold at the market,” he said.

When P.M.NEWS put a call across to the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Tambari Yabo, his GSM line was switched off, but the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Magaji Majia who picked his call said: “please call me in the next 15 to 20 minutes so that I can gather my facts. There is no power (electricity) in my house and I am trying to start my generator set.”

However, a reliable source within the Bompai Headquarters of Kano state Police Command confirmed the story saying that police are on top of the situation.

Kantin Kwari market which was gutted by fire last year is located near the Sani Abacha Stadium.

Though there have been  armed robbery attacks in the state, P.M.NEWS recalls that  on Thursday, 19 March, 2009, robbers numbering about 16 raided Kano Money Market, Bureau De Change, located at WAPA, along Murtala Muhammed Way , near Triumph Publishing Company.

 Unprecedented gun-shots resounded for about two hours from 2: 10 a.m. that Thursday night.

Residents of Dala and Fagge Local Government Areas slept with one eye. It was close to two years when such gun shots echoed within Kano metropolis. 

Also, on 8 April, 2007, gunmen, in a commando style, invaded Kano money market.  The robbers raided some shops and carted away local and foreign currencies running into several millions of naira.  

Few months after the WAPA robbery attack in 2007, another gang of high profile armed robbers, in broad daylight visited Hajj camp gold market, shot two civilians and made away with assorted jewellery including gold and silver worth over N10 million.

 Similarly, on 13 September, the same year, a 12-man gang of robbers with sophisticated weapons invaded the gold section of Abubakar Rimi Central Market, Sabon Gari and robbed gold and jewellery worth over N15 million. They killed at least two policemen. 

Briefing newsmen on that incident and a number of high profile robbery attacks, the then Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Yesufu who is now a Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, noted that, “on September 13, 2007, armed robbers numbering about twelve invaded Abubakar Rimi Market, Sabon Gari, specifically where they sell gold and other valuable items, armed with sophisticated weapons. Reinforcements were immediately drafted to the scene where they exchanged fire with the robbers. Three of them were shot by the police, but taken away by the gang members. The hoodlums abandoned their Toyota Camry and Toyota Corolla as well as seven other vehicles they snatched from their victims.”

By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano