Protest: Kano State declares 24-hour curfew as protest turns violent

Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf, has declared a 24-hour curfew in the state after the protest against economic hardship turned violent, leading to vandalism and looting within the state.

The governor announced the curfew in a broadcast at the government house on Thursday, few hours after video footage shows the level of violence during the #endbadgovernance protests taking place across the country.

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The governor said in his words, “It is regrettable that the whole protest that was meant to be a demonstration of the democratic right to voice our concerns was hijacked by thugs and hoodlums who embarked on looting of business premises, government properties and maiming of innocent citizens”.

“Such miscreants have become persistent in wanton destruction of private and public properties aided and by enemies of the state who have been reported to the security agencies few days back,” Yusuf said.

“After exhaustive deliberations during an emergency state security council meeting, it was collectively decided that 24-hour curfew should be put in place to prevent further looting and vandalization of shops, including indiscriminate killing and maiming of innocent citizens.

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“On this note therefore and based on the powers conferred on me by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as the chief security officer of the state, I have therefore, declared 24-hour curfew in the state with immediate effect.

“Fellow citizens, this action is made to ensure the full protection of your lives and properties as well as protecting public assets, places of worship and business premises.

“As we move forward, I urge all citizens to remain vigilant and to continue working together to maintain the peace and harmony we cherish so much.

“Let us not allow the actions of a few selfish individuals and miscreants to divide us or detract us from our shared goals. Together, we can overcome all challenges and build a stronger, more resilient Kano state.

“All security agencies in the State are hereby directed to ensure full and immediate compliance.”

Yusuf commended the “vast majority of peaceful protesters who stated their concerns responsibly”.

Earlier, protesters looted the newly built Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) Industrial Park in Kano. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre in Kano, which is scheduled for commissioning next week, was raided by the protesters and set ablaze.

Some youths were seen making away with desktop computers, chairs, keyboards, and other appliances. Bosun Tijani, minister of communications and digital economy, said the development would be a setback.

“Sad to learn that our Digital Innovation Park in Kano slated for launch next week to support our technical talent accelerator (3MTT) has been set ablaze and looted by protesters,” Tijani wrote on X.

Also, some protesters breached security and gained access to the Kano government house.