Kano gripped by fear as Herdsmen spotted with AK-47 in broad day light

Residents of Kano metropolis were gripped by fear on Tuesday afternoon after a Fulani herdsman was spotted openly carrying an AK-47 rifle while herding cattle along a major road, reportedly under police escort.

A video that circulated widely on social media showed the herdsman moving freely in broad daylight, with a firearm strapped to his body as he guided his cattle through the busy street. A police vehicle was seen accompanying the group.

The narrator of the footage, who spoke in Hausa, claimed the incident occurred in the Dawanau area of Kano city.

“Kano has also started receiving visitors. This is what we are seeing in the Dawanau area,” the narrator said, highlighting the unusual nature of the scene.

The video quickly sparked reactions online, with many Nigerians expressing concern about public safety and questioning how an armed civilian could operate openly in a densely populated area without arrest, especially amid persistent security challenges across the country.

Some social media users speculated that the cattle might belong to a powerful individual with strong political connections, suggesting that this could explain both the open display of the weapon and the police escort.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kano State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the incident.