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Curfew Imposed in Northern Nigeria Amid Protests Over Living Costs

In northern Nigeria, millions of residents are now subject to round-the-clock curfews as protests sweep across the country in response to the escalating cost of living. Authorities in Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, and Katsina have mandated that individuals remain indoors and refrain from participating in demonstrations scheduled for Friday.

The decision for a curfew stems from concerns that “hoodlums” are exploiting the protests to engage in looting and vandalism. In light of these developments, a substantial security presence has been deployed nationwide, especially leading into what is termed a series of “days of rage” planned by protest organizers.

The protests have garnered significant public support, particularly in the northern city of Kano, where the inaugural day saw the largest turnout. However, law enforcement responded with live ammunition and tear gas to disperse crowds, resulting in the tragic deaths of three individuals and numerous injuries among the protesters.

Moreover, amidst the chaos in Kano, a warehouse near the governor’s residence was breached by looters, leading to the arrest of 269 individuals and the recovery of stolen food supplies, including large cartons of groundnut oil. Human rights organization Amnesty International reported that across Nigeria, at least 13 protesters were killed by security forces on the first day alone.

In Borno state, authorities have also enacted a day-long curfew, attributing this decision to a recent bombing incident that claimed the lives of 16 people at a teashop in Kawori, a rural area. While the perpetrators remain unidentified, there is local suspicion that Boko Haram, a jihadist group that has wrought violence in the northeastern region since 2009, may be responsible.

Following protests in the state capital of Maiduguri, which elicited police resistance through the use of tear gas, the curfew was promptly instituted. This response underscores the fraught atmosphere in which these demonstrations are taking place.

Organized primarily through social media, the protests find inspiration in the successful mobilization of crowds in Kenya, where demonstrators managed to pressure the government into retracting plans for increased taxes. During the protests on Thursday, which included instances of tear gas deployment in the capital, Abuja, demonstrators articulated their grievances with chants such as “We are hungry.”

Many protesters express their dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, particularly concerning the abrupt removal of a fuel subsidy announced during his inauguration in May 2023. While the intention behind the move was to reduce government spending, it has resulted in soaring fuel prices, triggering inflation across essential commodities like food.

In addition to addressing economic issues, protesters are calling for comprehensive reforms within Nigeria’s electoral framework and judicial system. A spokesperson for the governor of Kano, Abba Kabir Yusuf, acknowledged that while the protests there were largely peaceful, the imposed curfew was deemed necessary due to significant looting, property damage, and violence attributed to criminal elements.

Similarly, the Yobe State government reported similar concerns regarding looting and vandalism in the towns of Potiskum, Gashua, and Nguru, attributing these actions to individuals seeking to exploit the situation. The government of Katsina echoed this sentiment, claiming that “miscreants” had usurped the protests, further justifying the curfews in place.

Source
www.bbc.com