Several people are feared dead, and others have sustained injuries following clashes between hoodlums and security operatives in Kano. Daily Trust reports that the most affected areas are Rijiyar Lemo, Kurna to Bachirawa in Fagge Local Government, Kofar Nassarawa in Kano Municipal, and Unguwa Uku in Tarauni Local Government.
Eyewitnesses said the violence erupted when youths defied a state-imposed curfew to continue the nationwide protests, which have increasingly turned violent in Kano. Abdulkadir Musa, a resident of Rijiyar Lemo, reported that at least eight people were shot, including women and children. An elderly woman and three others were confirmed dead, with many more seriously injured.
Musa explained, “What really happened is, you know the curfew is still in place, so people defied that and came out protesting, and that’s when the security operatives swooped into action, trying to disperse them. In the process, they had to shoot for the clearance operation to be successful.”
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that hoodlums, under the guise of hunger protests, attempted to loot shops, including a Rufaida yogurt outlet. Security agents dispersed the looters, who then resorted to stoning the operatives. A Divisional Police Officer was reportedly injured during the clash, though this could not be independently verified at the time of reporting.
Victims of the violence are currently receiving medical treatment at Salamatu Hospital. A social media user, Aiha K Nass, posted, “We are here mourning our grandmother. The police have shot my brother Aliyu. He is now dead.” Another user, Omar Khalid Saleh, wrote, “The police in Kano are turning the peaceful protest into something else. Why the shooting and killings? You’re inviting trouble. They just shot this teenager, and he died instantly at Kofar Nassarawa, Kano metropolis. #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria #EndPoliceBrutality.”
Daily Trust also gathered that protesters had gathered at Zaria Road along Unguwa Uku but were dispersed by security operatives. Mobile policemen have been mobilized, and a checkpoint has been set up to block movement around Kurna Asabe, near Bukavu Army Barracks.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from the police were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, could not be reached at the time of filing this report.