EXTRA: ’99 hoodlums’ surrender during novelty match organised by police in Kano

Muhammad Gumel, the Kano commissioner of police, says the command was thrown into shock when 69 additional “repentant hoodlums” showed up during a novelty match with security operatives in the state.

NAN reports that the command had initially selected 30 “repentant hoodlums”  also known as “YANDABA” to partake in a friendly match with the police team.

Speaking during the kick-off, Gumel said the match was organised by the command to promote community policing in the state.

He said the former street urchins are now known as “Kano youths yearning for the return of sustainable peace”.

“We invited 30 of them, but to our utmost surprise, 99 of them turned up and accepted to shun bad deeds and also submitted their weapons,’’ he said.

He said three notorious criminals shunned the police invitation, adding that the sum of N300,000 reward will be given to any community that finds the suspects on the wanted list of the command.

“Three notorious thugs – Bura Kita, Hantar Daba and Sule Maidoki — have proved stubborn and refused to submit their weapons to the police and repent,” the police commissioner added.

“This football match is organised by the police and the Youth Society for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases & Social Vices (YOSPIS), a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

“It is for the purpose of promoting peace and welcoming back youths who had gone astray.

“We have made efforts to make Kano state free of crimes using dialogue and peaceful approaches to encourage youths to shun drug abuse, phone snatching, thuggery and other crimes.”