Residents of several communities in Kaduna State have raised an alarm over what they described as increasing intimidation and unlawful arrests by a coalition of security operatives.

Speaking to City Round on Friday, a former student union representative, Daniel Bagai, said, “My friend stepped out of his house in Karji on Thursday evening, but he didn’t return home that day because they arrested him. That night was one of the most traumatic of his life. He wasn’t carrying a laptop or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“He was just another student of Kaduna State University heading home after a group study session. But within minutes, he found himself face-down on the pavement, surrounded by uniformed men shouting accusations, and cutting his dreadlocks with a pocket knife, all without explanation. They didn’t ask him any questions; they looked at his hair and said, ‘You’re a Yahoo Boy,’”

Bagai alleged that the operatives raid homes at odd hours, assault students, cut their hair indiscriminately, and even withdraw money from victims’ accounts using mobile POS devices.

“There’s no curfew in Kaduna, yet students returning from class or mosque are being harassed and labelled criminals simply for walking at night,” he added, noting that many students now skip classes and live in fear.

He further disclosed that the DSS invited him for questioning, a move he believed was linked to his activism.

“Shortly after, I was impeached from my role in the Student Representative Council, perhaps due to pressure from external forces,” Bagai added.

City Round gathered that over the past week, residents of Karji, Maigero, Ungwan Boro, Sabo Tasha, Television, Barnawa, and Narayi have complained of unannounced operations which allegedly involved operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Department of State Services, the Police, and the Federal Road Safety Corps.

A resident of Ungwan Boro, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he witnessed commercial motorcyclists being assaulted near Valid Junction in Sabo Tasha.

“Once they see you with dreadlocks or sagging trousers, they assume you’re a fraudster. They cut people’s hair in public without shame,” he said.

Another motorcyclist, Usman Bala, lamented, “I was beaten and accused of being a criminal. I’m just trying to feed my family. They treated me like a murderer.”

“There’s no structure to these operations. It’s like a jungle. They pick whoever they want and call them criminals,” a resident of Narayi said.

Commenting, a legal practitioner who asked to be anonymous said, “This is how mistrust between the public and security forces is bred. Law enforcement must follow due process. Otherwise, we’re heading into lawlessness.”

Efforts to get official responses from the EFCC, DSS, police and NDLEA zonal offices were unsuccessful as of the time this story was filed.

However, a security operative who spoke on condition of anonymity defended the operations, claiming they have helped reduce phone snatching and armed robbery.

“Most of the areas raided are flash points known to harbour criminal elements. Unfortunately, some innocent people may get caught up, but it’s part of the sacrifice required for safer communities,” the source said.

The source cited recent incidents, including the discovery of a corpse near Karji Primary School, and an attack in Sabo where a victim’s hand was chopped off during a phone snatching incident. (The PUNCH)