MIXED reactions have continued to trail the recruitment of 50 repentant thugs into Kano State Police Command.
Reacting to the development, Nigerians took to social media to express their views, while some commended the Kano Police command for the initiative others felt that this might increase unruly behaviour among the security agents.
Speaking further on the controversy, the Commissioner of Police said no criminal was recruited into the force.
Gumel said one Nasiru Abdullahi, whose enlistment into the constabularies, has generated serious attemtion, was among the 222 ‘repentant influential youths’ who denounced violence and chose to become “good ambassadors” of the state.
He said that Abdullahi, also known as ‘Chile Madobi’, was among the 222 youths who had been granted amnesty by the state government.
According to him, following instructions from the state government, the youths were de-radicalized and properly profiled, during which about 50 of them volunteered to help police in the ongoing fight against criminal elements in the state.
He faulted reports alleging that the state command was training constabularies at a training school, wondering when and where the state it had built a training school.
Gumel said, “All the 222 influential youths, who surrendered themselves were properly profiled and the state government organised a training for them into various trades under its skills acquisition programmes.
“The State Governor, who already gave them amnesty directed us to profile them and find out where they can fit in for skills acquisition and human empowerment. Out of the 222 influential youths, 50 of them volunteered to help the police in fighting crimes and criminal activities in the state. Nasiru Abdullahi is one of them.”
Also defending the move by Kano state, the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi said, “They are not policemen. I was told, and it’s been in the news that they are repentant individuals who have been mobilised into the constabulary scheme of Kano State. The Constabulary scheme is not police but a community-based initiative.”
On his part, speaking during the passing out parade, Command’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Haruna said, “Today is a happy day for the good people of Kano State and the Police Command because we passed out fifty (50) youths from the two hundred and twenty-two (222) repentant thugs who have since surrendered themselves.”
