At least eight people have been feared dead and many others injured as hoodlums clashed with security operatives in Kano.
According to a report by Daily Trust, the Rijiyar Lemo, Kurna to Bachirawa areas in Fagge Local Government, Kofar Nassarawa in Kano municipal, and the Unguwa Uku area in Tarauni Local Government were among the hardest hit.
Eyewitnesses reported that the violence erupted when a group of youths defied the state’s curfew and took to the streets to continue nationwide protests that have been marred by unrest.
Abdulkadir Musa, a resident of Rijiyar Lemo, told Daily Trust, “At least eight people were shot in our area, including women and children. An elderly woman is dead, along with three others, and many have serious injuries.”
He explained, “As the curfew is still in effect, people defied it and came out to protest. That’s when security operatives intervened, attempting to disperse the crowd, leading to their use of live ammunition in the operation.”
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed the hoodlums, hiding behind the guise of the hunger protest, attempted to loot shops, including a Rufaida yogurt outlet. He stated that security agents managed to disperse the hoodlums, who retaliated by throwing stones.
Reports indicate that a Divisional Police Officer sustained injuries during the clash, although this could not be independently confirmed as of the time of this report.
The resident noted that the gunshot victims are currently receiving medical attention at Salamatu Hospital.
Social media user Aiha K Nass lamented, “We are mourning our grandmother; the police have shot my brother Aliyu. He is now dead.”
Another user, Omar Khalid Saleh, expressed outrage, writing, “The police in Kano are turning a peaceful protest into chaos. Why the shooting and killings? You’re inviting trouble, to be honest. They just shot this teenager, and he died instantly at Kofar Nasarawa in Kano metropolis. #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria #EndPoliceBrutality.”
Daily Trust further reported that protesters had gathered on Zaria Road along Unguwa Uku but were similarly dispersed by security forces.
Mobile police have been deployed and a checkpoint established to restrict movement around Kurna Asabe, located near the Bukavu Army Barracks.
Attempts to obtain a statement from the police were unsuccessful, as spokesperson Abudullahi Haruna Kiyawa could not be reached at the time of this report.
