The national #Endbadgovernance protests which began on August 1 became quite severe in the North. Northern Bureau Chief, Muhammad Sabiu, paints the picture of how the events took place in this region.
As the nationwide protests against bad governance entered the seventh day, there has been relative calmness in almost every part of Kaduna State and in the North generally where violent protests led to wanton destruction and killings.
The protest which started peacefully on the first day, as well as on days two and three, however turned violent after the President Bola Tinubu addressed the nation on Sunday, August 3. Barely five days into the protest, states that were peaceful became violent especially in most part of the northern region.
Findings by Nigerian Tribune revealed that the protesters had thought President Tinubu would hit the nail on the head by restoring the subsidy on petrol being one of the demands by the protesters, but it was not to be.
According to Ibrahim Ali who participated in the protest, “Unfortunately, his speech was empty. Even if he would not address most of the issues, we expect him to address the issue of fuel subsidy.
“When he removed the fuel subsidy everything skyrocketed. Most car owners cannot afford constant supply of fuel. Even food stuff prices jumped. Noodles which used to be N150 is now being sold at N800 to N950.”
Thus, when the president failed to address this major issue bedeviling the country, the protesters who were mostly youths went on the rampage. They began destroying and vandalising public and private properties.
In Kaduna, for instance, they vandalised a popular eatery at Sokoto Road. It was gathered that the protesters vandalised the fence surrounding the NNDC building along Ahmadu Bello way. Also vandalised according to reports was KASTELLA, where hundreds of seized motorcycles were carted away by hoodlums.
The violent protesters also vandalised streets lights along Ali Akilu Road. In Kano, a mob vandalised the printing press considered one of the oldest printing presses in the country.
A disturbed Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi, when assessing the damaged press that was established in 1933, said his great grandfather worked at the printing press. He also expressed his dismay over the vandalised NCC Digital Industrial Park.
According to findings by the Nigerian Tribune, the skills centre was established in the North-West geopolitical zone to cater for an estimated 10,000 youths from Kano and neighbouring states. According to sources there were similar attacks in other zones. For instance, in Zamfara State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) office was also vandalised. Buildings that were affected in the state also included some warehouses including cement warehouses.
Across the states dozens of people were reported dead. In Kaduna-, it was gathered that a policeman was hit by a stray bullet during the protest as security operatives battled hoodlums who infiltrated the protesters. It was reported that a stray bullet also wounded a man in Kaduna who was inside his house at the Hayin Danmani community of Igabi Local Government Area of the state.
Two young men in the community were reportedly killed when they burgled a rice processing mill. Explaining further, Bala Wushishi, a resident of the community who spoke to Nigerian Tribune earlier this week, said the situation was made tense as the security forces fought certain rampaging youths who took over the protest and caused mayhem.
He disclosed that, “I just returned from the 44 Hospital where the man hit by the stray bullet was receiving treatment. He was not among the protesters. We were all in our houses as gunshots were heard everywhere. Suddenly, a bullet found its way into the man’s house and hit him. I saw him. He is lucky to be alive.”
Speaking on the deaths of two persons at a rice mill, Wushishi alleged that, “These young boys were killed when they went to steal rice in a local mill. They were just hiding under the guise of protest, to steal.”
At the Western bypass, miscreants had a field day until the arrival of soldiers who confronted them. After several hours, the soldiers were able to disperse them successfully.
In Zamfara, a teenager was killed as a result of teargas when the police were trying to disperse a group of rampaging youths who started vandalising cars. Even trucks were not spared, leaving the owners of the vehicles and goods to count their loses.
An eye witness, Mr Sam Yusuf said, “The miscreants hurled stones and other dangerous objects at moving vehicles. They did that to an articulated vehicle that was carrying goats. In fact, they even climbed into the truck and started removing the goats before the driver zoomed off.”
Similarly, another truck carrying sacks of red pepper was stopped and vandalised by the miscreants along the Kawo-Hayin Banki axis in Kaduna North Local Government Area. Each bag of red pepper was estimated to be close to N200,000.
One of the affected drivers whose goods were pillaged said he was rushing to go home because he just received a phone call that his wife was in labour. “My son just called me that they have rushed my wife to the hospital. Unfortunately, look at what they did to my vehicle. They even stole the bags of charcoal.”
Many unsuspecting commuters fell victim of notorious phone snatchers who took advantage of the riotous atmosphere and unleashed terror in Kaduna metropolis. It was said that one of the phone thieves who pretended to be a protester, was apprehended and beaten to death by a mob.
Also, shop owners had their losses to count. Ignatius Chukwu said he lost some millions of naira as a result of the protest. According to him, he had a supply to make which could have fetched him millions but unfortunately, he lost it to miscreants in the protest. Going down memory lane, he told the Nigerian Tribune that before the coming of the present government he used to travel to Lagos at least five times in a year and bought goods worth N20 million to N30 million. He added that since last year, he has not travel because the purchasing power of the naira has devalued.
Meanwhile, as part of efforts to stem the ramping youths from causing more harm to the people state governments in the north have imposed curfews. States like Bauchi Plateau, Jigawa,Kaduna, and Katsina have imposed curfew. Even though some have relaxed the curfew, the impact of the protests has continued to linger.
Currently, in Kaduna, there is an acute scarcity of essential commodities and food items such as bread, rice, beans in most of the neighborhoods. Hard hit areas include Hanyi banki, Kawo, Danbushiya, Kadaure, Unguwar Sarki, among others. The people of Kano especially beggars have started complaining of hunger following the curfew that was imposed by the state government.
Call to be civil in future protests
A prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Halliru Maraya has admonished that killing innocent souls is against the teaching of Islam, warning that “if you kill one person, the consequence is like you’ve killed the entire humanity.”
Also, Sheik Aminu Daurawa has admonished youths to channel their complains through the best Islamic practice which is engaging with the leaders rather than staging a protest. He said in Islam protest against leaders are prohibited.
In the same vein, the lnternational Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has called on the organisers of #EndbadGovernanceProtest in the country to present their demands in a civil, peaceful and orderly manner to the Federal Government.
This was made known by the Ambassador-at-Large of IHRC, Ambassador Malami Shehu Ma’aji, in a statement he issued to the Nigerian Tribune. He cautioned organisers of the planned nationwide protest to come forward and present their demands in a civil, peaceful, and orderly manner to the government rather than remaining faceless.
Arrests
As a result of the protest, dozens were arrested across the region including foreign nationals. In Kaduna for example, in total, police sources said that 39 suspects were arrested at the scene, including a tailor who was sewing the foreign flags for the group. The police recovered 38 Russian flags, one Chinese flag, two catapults with a bag of stones and various vandalied items.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Ali Dabigi, while commending his officers, issued a stern warning to all residents to adhere to the imposed curfew. He assured that violators will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
The CP also appealed to all citizens to cooperate with the Police and other security agencies during this critical period. The curfew is in place to protect lives and property, and ensure the swift restoration of peace in Kaduna State.
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