Former Kano Candidate Calls Out Selective Condemnation of Violence
Salihu Tanko-Yakassai, a former Kano state governorship candidate, has strongly criticized Nigerians from the Southern region for what he describes as hypocritical behavior in condemning acts of violence. The politician expressed his frustration with Southern Nigerians who quickly condemn the North over mob violence like the killing of student Deborah Samuel in Sokoto while ignoring similar incidents in their own regions.
Tanko-Yakassai emphasized that jungle justice remains a nationwide problem rather than being exclusive to any particular region. He argued that instead of jointly condemning all acts of violence, Southern Nigerians have developed a pattern of condemning the entire North when violence occurs there while remaining silent about comparable incidents in the South.
The Reality of Jungle Justice Across Nigeria
The former candidate pointed to several documented cases of jungle justice in Southern Nigeria that have received minimal attention compared to Northern incidents. He specifically mentioned the 2022 murder of Harira Jubril and her four daughters in Anambra by suspected ESN operatives as one of many underreported cases.
Other incidents he highlighted include the lynching and burning of sixteen northerners in Uromi, Edo State in 2025, the violent Sasa market clashes in Ibadan during 2021 that resulted in numerous Hausa resident deaths, and the shooting of northern traders in Orlu and Umuaka, Imo State by armed separatists.
Tanko-Yakassai also referenced historical violence by the Oodua People's Congress (OPC) in Southwest Nigeria, noting that Human Rights Watch documented nearly 500 deaths from OPC activities in areas including Ketu, Mile 12, Ajegunle, and Idi-Araba during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
A Call for Unified Condemnation of Violence
The politician made it clear that he doesn't excuse Northern problems, referencing his own history of criticizing Northern leadership, including his 2021 arrest by DSS after speaking out about the Tegina schoolgirls' abduction and his 2012 article titled "19 Northern Governors: The Certified Parasites."
He maintained that his position on the Deborah Samuel case has always been consistent: she should have been handed to authorities if she committed any crime, as no one has the right to pass judgment outside the law. However, he stressed that the same standard should apply nationwide.
Tanko-Yakassai identified the common denominator in all these cases as jungle justice, which he described as thriving on emotion, ignorance, and collective cowardice. He attributed the prevalence of mob justice across Nigeria to widespread distrust in the justice system's ability to protect citizens or punish offenders effectively.
The former candidate concluded with a powerful warning: "Once you allow the mob to decide who lives or dies, no one is safe, not even the mob!" He urged Nigerians to confront the truth about violence honestly without regional bias or selective morality.
