Gunmen,
weekend, killed four men who were playing cards at a Gidan Hamisu Gurgu
relaxation spot at Gaida quarters of Kano municipality.
A resident who does not want his name in
print told Vanguard that the gunmen arrived on a motorbike, took position and
fired several shots in an overcrowded spot mainly patronized by pokers.
The eyewitness explained that the incident
occurred around 6.00 p.m. barely an hour after the visiting vice president left
the city that witnessed unprecedented security presence on the streets.
According to the eyewitness, “the gunmen,
armed with assault riffles and were heard speaking fluent local dialect,
threatened to wipe off all those consciously transgressing against God in the
city.”
The ensuing pandemonium left three dead,
while one other who was seriously injured and taken to the hospital died an
hour later.
According to the eyewitness, “my neighbour,
Abdullahi, was among the dead. Two others I cannot identify after the violent
attack laid dead while a man who sustained life threatening injury was rushed
to the hospital as many fled to safety.”
Poking (known in Hausa dialect as Karta) is
a popular business among the predominantly Muslim population in Hausaland, but
listed as a game of chance by Quran that enjoins Muslims to stay off it.
Vanguard recall that the bloody attack at a
relaxation spot patronized by pokers brought to four the number of such
violence since the ancient city of Kano came under attack January 20.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for
the shooting, as the Kano Police Public Relations Officer, Tanimu Rilwan Dutse,
confirmed the shooting incident, adding that the command has commenced
investigations.
Dutse said: “We learnt that three people
were shot dead by unknown gunmen Saturday evening at Filin Kashu relaxation
spot at Gaida, and that one other person sustained injury.”