PANIC swept through Kano metropolis on Monday as suspected thugs invaded the popular mobile phone market at Farm Centre, leaving several people injured and valuables carted away in a brazen daylight attack.
News Point Nigeria reports that the youths, believed to be hoodlums, reportedly stormed the busy market, unleashing violence on traders and customers while wielding sharp weapons to intimidate victims and assert control over sections of the commercial hub.
The attack was said to have taken place around Yoyo Plaza, a well-known section of the market recognised for its concentration of mobile phone dealers and accessories traders.
Eyewitness accounts indicated that the assailants, mostly young men, forcefully seized mobile phones and other valuables from traders, customers, and passersby, heightening fear and confusion across the area.
One witness, who spoke to News Point Nigeria, alleged that the attackers had emerged from a nearby political gathering, although this claim has not been officially confirmed by authorities.
The situation, however, was brought under control following the swift intervention of armed policemen deployed to the scene, who dispersed the hoodlums and prevented the violence from escalating into a larger crisis.
As of the time of filing this report, there were no confirmed fatalities, but several individuals were said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries during the incident.
Attempts to reach the spokesperson of the Kano State Police Command, Abdullahi Haruna, proved unsuccessful, as he did not respond to multiple phone calls.
Similarly, a text message sent to him had yet to receive a reply as of the time this report was filed.
