The Kano State Government in North West Nigeria has inaugurated 2,000 members of the Neighbourhood Watch Corps as part of efforts to enhance internal security and strengthen community-based policing in the state.
The inauguration followed a passing-out ceremony held at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, after the Kano State House of Assembly enacted a law establishing the state-owned paramilitary outfit to complement conventional security agencies.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who presided over the ceremony, also presented 88 Hilux operational vehicles, two for each of the state’s 44 local government areas, and 440 motorcycles, with 10 allocated to every council, to support the operations of the corps.
Addressing the recruits after displays of parade drills, silent drills, and unarmed combat, Governor Yusuf said the initiative was designed to tackle insecurity while creating employment opportunities for youths.
“We are not just celebrating your graduation; we are inaugurating a new chapter in community security and reaffirming our commitment to youth empowerment,” the governor said.
“Lasting peace is built on security and opportunity. An idle mind is vulnerable, but an engaged and employed youth is a fortress against crime.”
He explained that the Neighbourhood Watch Corps represents a dual strategy of professionalising community security while providing dignity and livelihoods to young men and women who would now serve on the front lines of public service.
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Governor Yusuf noted that the programme is part of a broader employment drive, which includes the recent recruitment of hundreds of mathematics teachers and the engagement of over 4,000 beneficiaries through the BESDA programme to address gaps in education and employment.
Acknowledging evolving security challenges, particularly in border communities, the governor stressed the importance of intelligence gathering, vigilance, and rapid response.
He said the new corps would work closely with the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, NSCDC, the military, and other security agencies.
“No single agency can secure Kano State alone. Effective security today demands cooperation, coordination, and intelligence sharing,” he said, urging the recruits to complement rather than duplicate the efforts of conventional forces.
The governor also disclosed that the state is in talks with neighbouring Katsina, Bauchi, and Kaduna states to develop joint border operations and shared intelligence frameworks to tackle cross-border banditry and criminal networks.
Chairman of the North-West Governors’ Forum and Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umar Radda, commended the initiative and called for a regional security framework to address threats to lives and property across the zone. He urged the recruits to see their assignment as a divine and patriotic duty.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Security and Intelligence, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, lauded Kano’s approach to security, describing it as a proactive step toward protecting citizens.
Former Minister of Defence, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, also praised the initiative but urged the Federal Government to recruit more personnel into the Nigerian Armed Forces, stressing the need for increased manpower to address national security challenges.
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, emphasised the importance of community engagement and collaboration with traditional institutions, noting that sustainable security requires trust and synergy at the grassroots level.