By Femi Akinola and George George Idowu
The hunger protest embarked on by thousands of hungry and angry Nigerians on Thursday turned violent and bloody as there was massive destruction in northern part of the country particularly in Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, FCT Abuja, Niger and Jigawa State.
There were reported incidents of killing and maiming of citizens by thugs and hoodlums who hijacked the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Police stations have been destroyed, there has been attempts to take over government houses, looting of government infrastructures, several warehouses and shops have so far been looted and, in several instances, completely destroyed.
In Kano, hoodlums started looting and vandalizing government property, including traffic lights on major roads. The gatehouse of the Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC) in Kano was set ablaze by the angry protesters while smokes from the fire polluted the environment.
Eyewitnesses said that some of the protesters stormed the premises of the Kano State Government House leading to a confrontation with security forces that resulted in the deaths of two protesters.
The Kano State Police Command apprehended over 200 people who exploited the planned nationwide strike as a cover for their malicious activities.
According to the State Police authority, these individuals engaged in acts of violence, destruction, looting, and causing harm to innocent civilians and resulting in the damage of public and private properties.
The State Commissioner of Police, disclosed that a total of 269 suspects responsible for destructions, looting, and instigating chaos under the guise of the nationwide protest.
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The police authority in the state also announced recovering of many jerricans of 25 Litres of Groundnut Oil, a large quantity of Stationeries, Foodstuffs, and other valuable properties during the breakdown of law and order.
Reacting to the breakdown of law and other during a news conference yesterday in Abuja, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbedokun, lamented the orgy of violence that followed the first day of hunger protest scheduled to last 10 days.
The Nigerian police boss said activities of the protesters had showed on the first day that what was being instigated was mass uprising and looting, not protest, noting those who were in the forefront of promoting the idea of the protest were not around to lead it.
His words: “Regrettably, events in some major cities today showed that what was being instigated was mass uprising and looting, not protest.
“ Hoodlums have been let loose on innocent Nigerians and their hard-earned businesses and property looted and destroyed. The motive of the rioters was basically two; loot and destroy both private and government property.
“ The destruction so far has been mind-boggling. There has been destruction in Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, FCT Abuja, Niger, Jigawa. Police stations have been destroyed, there has been attempts to take over government houses, looting of government infrastructures, several warehouses and shops have so far been looted and, in several instances, completely destroyed.
“In spite of the refusal of the protesters, for instance in FCT to adhere to a court order requesting that protest in Abuja should be at the National Stadium, they trooped into the streets, and yet the police provided security for them. At no point did we breach their fundamental rights even as they breached court order.
“In places like FCT, Kaduna, Kano and Gombe, among others, we recorded incidents of unprovoked attacks on security personnel, where one policeman has been reported murdered and others seriously injured.”
Meanwhile, Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has imposed a 24-hour curfew in Kano State following the looting and destruction of public and private property. The governor also addressed reporters on the looting in the city.
