ACF Links Horrific Kano Family Massacre to Rampant Drug Abuse, Urges Community Vigilance

By Emmanuel Kwada

In a stark condemnation of the brutal murder of a mother and her six children in Kano last weekend, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has pointed to drug abuse as a primary culprit, warning that such atrocities are often fueled by substance-induced violence or cult affiliations.

The victims, identified as Fatima Abubakar and her children, were slaughtered at their home in Dorayi Chiranchi quarters, sending shockwaves through the community.

During a joint press briefing on Sunday in Kano, organized alongside Muryar Matan Arewa (Voice of Northern Women) and the League for Societal Protection Against Drug Abuse (LESPADA), ACF’s state chairman, Dr. Goni Umar Faruk, emphasized the role of drugs in enabling such heinous acts.

“Once you see somebody slaughtering children like this, he must be under the influence of drugs or be part of a cult organisation,” Dr. Faruk stated, highlighting the absence of neighborly intervention during the attack.

He lamented the breakdown in communal support and stressed the urgent need for community policing initiatives.

“Every community should consider policing its area. We will establish a committee that will bring together traditional, religious and community leaders to form a strong force vigilant on movements in their respective areas,” he added.

Dr. Faruk also called on the government to tighten regulations on arms sales, including mandatory documentation and thumbprint capture for buyers to aid in tracking criminals.

In a proactive move to combat youth vulnerability to crime, he announced that ACF, through its Awkat program funded by AA Rano, plans to distribute interest-free loans of ₦100,000 each to 1,000 young people by the end of June.

Commending the swift response from state authorities, Dr. Faruk praised the police and Department of State Services (DSS) for arresting the suspects promptly.

Binta Mukhtar Shata, Executive Director of Muryar Matan Arewa, expressed deep concern over eroding societal values, noting that mothers now live in fear of their own children.

“We want justice for the perpetrators and we want them punished,” she said, announcing that the group will host annual engagements to reinforce family bonds and address household insecurity.

Maryam Hassan, Executive Secretary of LESPADA, echoed the sentiment, describing the killings as a wake-up call that has rattled residents far beyond Kano.

“Government is trying, but it cannot do it alone. Communities must step in, especially in tackling drug abuse, because no sane man will kill another without the influence of drugs,” she asserted, directly linking widespread issues like thuggery, phone snatching, and murders to substance abuse.

The briefing underscores a growing call for collaborative efforts between communities, civil society, and government to stem the tide of drug-related violence in northern Nigeria, amid rising concerns over youth empowerment and public safety.