25 suspects, including members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), arrested for attacking state-owned agencies
By Luka Binniyat and Miked Odeh
(Kaduna) – At least three young adults were killed by security forces on Thursday, August 1, the first day of the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest scheduled to hold forth in 30 Nigerian states simultaneously. The demonstration in Kaduna, mostly led by Muslim youths, turned violent, resulting in the looting and destruction of government and private properties.
Police shot two protestors and one was killed by an automobile, according to Reuters.
Kaduna state police spokesman Mansur Hassan said that tear gas cannisters were used to control crowds, but no live ammunition was fired. Tear gas was used to disperse crowds in Abuja as well, according to eye witnesses,
Security agencies, deployed to maintain order, were attacked, leaving a police officer with life-threatening injuries.
Rumors of a 24-hour curfew spread quickly, but Governor Uba Sani dismissed this as false, stating that the situation was under control.
The Kaduna State Police Command arrested 25 suspects, including members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), for attacking state-owned agencies. Recovered items included an AK-47 rifle, live ammunition, and a police camouflage uniform.
While protests turned violent in Muslim-dominated areas, Christian-majority regions south of the Kaduna river remained peaceful, with leaders instructing their members to avoid the protests. The Middle Belt Forum, Kaduna State Chapter, stated that they would organize their own demonstration against bad governance in a peaceful and lawful manner at the appropriate time.
‘We members of the Middle Belt residents in Kaduna state have agreed that we will not be part of the protest,” said Elder Solomon Danbaki, Public Relations Officer of the Middle Belt Forum, Kaduna State Chapter to Truth Nigeria.
“We have it on authority that some enemies of the Middle Belt, who were part of the past government have imported foreign violent agents to cause anarchy in the state and in the country because they have not found favour with the present regime both in Kaduna and Abuja,” he said.
“If things continue this way, we shall organize our demonstration against bad governance in a manner that is civilized and falls within law and order,” he said.
Luka Binniyat and Mike Odeh are conflict reporters for Truth Nigeria based in Kaduna.
