Kano Youths Burn Kwankwasiyya Red Caps Over Kwankwaso’s Support for Obi

Some youths in Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State have reportedly set fire to red caps associated with the Kwankwasiyya Movement, following former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s decision to support Peter Obi’s 2027 presidential bid.

Kwankwaso is the running mate to Obi, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC.

A video circulating on social media showed a group of youths gathered along a street, chanting “We should burn it” before setting several red caps ablaze.

Some of the people watching the incident were seen wearing red caps bearing the infinity symbol associated with President Bola Tinubu.

The development has generated allegations that the incident was sponsored by Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa, the member representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. The allegation, however, could not be independently verified.

The spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Mohammed, dismissed the incident as a staged action allegedly organised by political opponents.

He claimed that similar incidents had occurred previously, alleging that some participants were hired to create the impression that support for the movement was declining.

Mohammed described the latest incident as a desperate attempt to counter what he called the growing popularity of the Kwankwasiyya movement in Kano.

He said anyone could purchase a red cap and stage an incident to create a political narrative around the movement.

Attempts to obtain the reaction of the Kano State APC spokesperson, Auwalu Soja, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or messages sent to his phone.

The incident comes as political parties and candidates begin campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the signing of a peace accord by presidential and National Assembly candidates.