•One of the protesters in Kano on Thursday.
The hunger protest billed to start nationwide against #BadGovernanceInNigeria began on Monday morning in States – Kano, Lagos Edo as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) looting and destruction of government properties recorded in Kano and looting of government warehouse for palliatives in Benin, Edo State.
In Borno where the protest turned violent with some of the protesters and hoodlums unleashing chaos and destruction in Maiduguri, the state capital and other places, the Police declared a 24-hour curfew.
Police spokesman ASP Nahum Daso in a statement said the curfew was with immediate effect.
He said: “Based on the security chaos in the State, the Command has declared a 24-hour curfew with immediate effect.”
In Lagos, it was largely peaceful. The protesters in their hundreds came out to protest what they termed the economic hardship of the government, defying the order of a Lagos High Court which restricted them to Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, and Moshood Abiola Peace Park, Ketu.
Even a directive by the Omoyele Sowore-led “Take It Back Movement” postponing the protest to October 1, 2024 for security reasons was rebuffed.
They carried placards, marched along to and fro the two roads bordering the parks and refused to enter either of the parks which their leaders told the police were intended to hem them in.
The placards bore various messages such as “Reverse Electricity Tariff; New strike needed for Mass Movement; reverse All Anti-people neo-liberal policies” among others
In Kano, the protesters looted the Federal Government facilitated Digital Innovation Park and set the place ablaze afterwards.
Minister of Digital economy, Bosun Tijani, in a post shared on his official X platform expressed shock at the looting and destruction visited on the facility, lamenting it was yet to be commissioned.
•Protesters with their loots on Thursday
According to the Minister, the park was slated for launch next week
And as killing of citizens looting, destruction and chaos by hoodlums spread, Governor Abba Yusuff imposed 24 – hour curfew in the ancient commercial city of Kano in order to arrest the deteriorating situation.
For Niger State, no fewer than 6 people have died and a dozen of others were injured after the hunger protest in Suleja, Niger State, turned violence as the police tried to disperse the protesters.
In Tafa local government area of the state, the youths attempted to burn down the Secretariat, damaging its gates and fence. They also burned a vehicle in the Secretariat while trying to loot the premises.
The youths began their protest around 11 am, but things took a frightening turn when the anti-riot police, led by the Police Area Commander, attempted to dislodge them.
The police used teargas to disperse the defiant youths, who retaliated by throwing stones, sticks, and other objects, and in the ensuing chaos, the protesters vandalised a police vehicle with registration number NPF 9102C.
As the situation degenerated, the police, The Daily Crucible learnt, fired live ammunition, which struck some of the youths, causing the deaths of six people, including one identified as Nda Isah.
But Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, the residents bunched – up at the Police Round about and played out a different scenario.
Rather than protest, the good People of Adamawa State, the home State of former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, elected to show their Solidarity Support to the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.