Hunger strike: Kano business community adopts safety measures

Worried about the possible attack on economic ventures during the planned nationwide protests against hardship and bad governance, the Kano business community, at the weekend, constituted a special security squad to protect markets and businesses in the state.

The proactive measure comes, even as the Patriotic Elders Forum of Nigeria, a non-political group, urged the protest organisers to shelve their plan for peace talks with concerned authorities.

At an emergency meeting, representatives of major markets and super markets, expressed the need to take measures to forestall security threats. Addressing reporters, Chairman, Kantin Kwari Market Association, Alhaji Balarabe Tatari, confirmed that a 20-member committee had been raised to coordinate the self-help operation.

He said the business community is disturbed despite reports indicating that the protests would be conducted peacefully.

Similarly, Managing Director, Sabon Gari/ Galadima and Singa Markets, Alhaji Abdullahi, said the community would be all out on the day of the protest to “protect our business premises.”

Leader of the elders forum, Dr. Bature Abdul Aziz, beseeched the organisers to exhaust available channels of negotiation with the authority to address their demands.

MEANWHILE, security operatives have threatened to deal with any individual or group planning to take advantage of the protest to break law and order in the state.

They urged residents to go about their lawful business without fear or let, assuring that adequate security had been put in place. Emerging from a strategic roundtable meeting at the police headquarters in Kano, heads of security agencies, including the military and paramilitary, said a joint reinforcement of men and officers would be deployed to safeguard public property.

A statement by spokesperson for the state police command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, disclosed that the meeting followed recent developments around the upcoming demonstrations. Kiyawa said security agents were disturbed by the threats from some groups to make the fulminations violent.