Kano Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje
The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje has suspended the
implementation of the order banning persons of opposite sexes from
entering the same tricycle in the state.
According to TheCable, Salihu Tanko-Yakasai, the governor’s spokesman, confirmed the news.
On December 25, the state government announced that the order would take effect from January 2020.
It said the action was a show of its commitment to upholding Islamic values in the state.
But the order received widespread condemnation.
Tanko-Yakasai said on Tuesday said the order has been suspended for further review of its practicability.
He said the rule was initially introduced during the era of Ibrahim Shekarau, former governor of Kano, between 2003 and 2011.
He added that the Ganduje administration only re-introduced it to
curb reports of female sexual harassment in the means of transportation.
“Yes, it’s true. Well, they just want to review it. You know it
was an old law that was enacted during the era of Ibrahim Shekarau. So,
the Hisbau committee was just reintroducing it,” Tanko-Yakasai said.
“So, I think they want to just look at it again and make some
adjustments because the realities back then and now are definitely not
again. They want to look at the law again and see how practical and
realistic it is now to see how they can adjust it.
“There are a lot of reports of females being abused especially
in the evenings in Keke NAPEPs (tricycle), so this would see how the
security can be improved.
“I think there was a misconception in the new law passed. It is
not like they are completely banning men and women from entering same
tricycle. What they said is that if the keke picks a lady first, every
other passenger have to be female and if it starts with a guy, the rest
have to be guys. So, they just want to look at it again and see how
practical and realistic it will be.”