Nightfall in Kano now comes with a new layer of caution, as the state police command on Tuesday rolled out night patrols to enforce the long-standing ban on passenger motorcycles and to restrict commercial tricycles from operating between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The renewed enforcement, carried out alongside the Kano Road and Traffic Agency (KAROTA), follows rising fears over banditry and an unusual surge in commercial motorcyclists entering the state. For the police, the operation is about restoring order. But for some residents, it is stirring anxiety.
Police spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, announced the operation on Facebook but provided few details. He did not clarify how many motorcycles and tricycles were seized or whether individuals using motorcycles privately not commercially were affected.
He later confirmed that every impounded vehicle would be forwarded to the court for further action.
However, the clampdown has triggered a wave of complaints from residents who say innocent people are being arrested. One of the loudest voices is that of Kano-based human rights lawyer, Abba Hikima.
According to him, many residents have reached out, claiming they were arrested simply because they carried a friend or relative on their motorcycle.
Hikima reminded authorities that the 2013 law banning motorcycle passenger movement applies only to commercial operators.
“That is what truly poses a threat to security,” he wrote. “Ordinary citizens should not suffer for simply giving someone a ride.”
As the patrols continue, residents are urging the police to draw a clear line between commercial and private riders. Many say they support efforts to improve security, but not at the expense of their rights.
For now, Kano’s nights remain tense a balancing act between safety and civil liberties.
