Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has warned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to deport Kano indigenes and other northerners from Abuja from the FCT. He stressed that such actions are unconstitutional and amount to discrimination against Nigerians who have the right to reside and work in any part of the country.
Yusuf issued the warning in a statement by the state’s Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children and Disabled Persons, Amina Sani-Abdullahi, made available to newsmen on Thursday.
According to the governor, within the last four weeks, several citizens, including indigenes of Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, and Kaduna states, were forcefully deported from om the FCT to Kano.
This, Yusuf posits, contradicts the constitutional right of every Nigerian to reside and seek livelihood anywhere in the country, provided they do not threaten public peace and safety.
“The FCT is not the property of a single state or region; it is the common heritage of all Nigerians and, as such, a home for all. If certain individuals are found engaging in activities considered undesirable, the humane and constitutional approach would be to design empowerment programmes, provide grants, or create opportunities for rehabilitation and meaningful economic engagement, not forceful deportation,” the statement reads.
Yusuf noted that Kano accommodates people from all parts of Nigeria, including Rivers State, without discrimination. “This is the spirit of national brotherhood that strengthens our unity.”
The governor also condemned reports that some deportees were allegedly detained for more than 10 days under harsh conditions, with inadequate feeding, describing the treatment as degrading and unacceptable.
Yusuf further warned that the state government would not tolerate the humiliation of Kano citizens and urged the FCT Administration to halt unconstitutional deportations.
“We urge the FCT Administration to reconsider its approach and adopt more humane, lawful, and constructive measures in handling such matters going forward,” the statement reads.
