'Why I no wan be political thug again' - Sagiru Yerima

One Sagiru Yerima wey don serve as political thugs for previous elections say im don repent and don stop all form of political violence.

Yerima wey dey stay for Kano state, Northwest Nigeria tell BBC say im biggest regret about all di years im serve as political thug na di pipo wey suffer as a result of im thuggery plus di fact say, dia political masters no dey remember dem when dem enta office.

But for dis 2023 elections, Yerima say im don repent and don even join group wey wan ensure peaceful elections.

Political thuggery na major problem for for Nigeria during elections.

Over di years, e don result to many bad bad tins like loss of lives and serious injuries during campaigns or elections days.

As soon as campaign start, e get politicians wey dey hire thugs to do dia biddings in order to make sure say na dem win election.

At di moment, some of di youths wey politicians dey usually hire as political thugs don dey realise dia mistakes and say dem don change dia ways.

“Nothing dey good about political thuggery and I don realise dat now, na just intimidating and cheating pipo, wey no good at all.”

“We do all sort of crazy things for politicians but wetin we dey get in return? Nothing to write home about. In fact at di moment, e get politicians wey dey even hire thugs and tell dem na wen e get office e go pay.” Sagiru tok.

E add say e dey difficult thing to do away wit political thuggery altogether but di best solution na for beta pipo wit good behaviours to enta politics and relate better wit di youth wey bin get di mindset of thuggery.

“Dat one go give di youths wey wan do thuggery and beta pipo wey enta politics di chance to join hands to defeat bad politicians wey dey use thuggery to win elections.”

Di man wey get im own family now, say most of di youths wey dey work as political thugs no dey like or enjoy wetin dem dey do and assuming beta option dey, dem go take am.

E also tok say di main reason political thugs dey succeed especially on election day na because di security wey dem dey post to election venues dey usually small and di thugs dey outnumber dem.

'How I take become political thug'

Sagiru tok say im journey into political thuggery start from im neighbourhood many years ago and im and many odas start as stubborn children wey no dey hear word.

“Na dat stubbornness politicians want and na wetin dem wan make we use help dem achieve dia selfish desire.”

E tok say politicians dey divided into two; Di first set, get am for mind say if dem win elections dem go help di thugs to beta dia lives and di second set, dia own na just to dey use di thugs for dia selfish aims.

“Many times di second set dia own na just to dey lie say dem go help you but in real sense dem just wan continue to dey use you as thug wen election come.”

'My mission to stop political thuggery for Kano'

Sagiru tok say e no believe say sitting down wit politicians go solve di problem of political thuggery.

E dey of di position say di key to solve di problem of political thugs na di thugs themselves.

“If you make agreement with politicians, chances dey high say dem go break am, so di thing na to siddon wit di thugs and make dem see reason and provide options for dem.”

“Na why we decide to form group wey we dey cal ‘Kano ba banga’ (Kano against political thuggery) to see how we fit solve dis problem.”

Di young man say every political strong hold for Kano get dia chief political thug wey dey handle thuggery activities for dem.

Sagiru say dem go dey continue to dey work to see say political thuggery for Kano wey be one of di largest and important states for Nigeria elections, reduce.