By Aisha Ahmed
Fresh protests erupted in Kano city and its environs on Monday afternoon with demonstrators denouncing the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal that sacked Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that uneasy calm pervaded the state capital following a reported contradiction in the Certified True Copy of the Appeal Court judgment.
Following the reported discrepancies, the city witnessed violent protests last Wednesday, during which the police arrested seven persons.
There had also been threats by political parties to troop to the streets in protest, which the police strongly warned against.
In what appeared like a coordinated action on Monday, a huge crowd of protesters stormed strategic positions in the city, a situation that resulted in temporary hiccups in commercial activities.
The protests were held in spite of warnings by the police earlier in the day that protests were not allowed.
The Kano-Zaria Road, Maiduguri Road by the Muhammadu Buhari’s Interchange, and Kantin Kwari (Kano textile market) were taken over by hundreds of youths who called for justice for Governor Yusuf.
The protesters carried placards, some of which had inscriptions such as “Kano my city, my state;” “Justice for Kano;” “Justice for Abba;” “Abba’s mandate was stolen in 2019, we will not allow it happen in 2023;” among others.
The protests came on the heels of the discovery by the police that “some faceless group is bent on unleashing violence in Kano,” stressing that the police were on top of the situation.
The Commissioner of Police in Kano State, Hussaini Gumel, had earlier told newsmen in Kano on Monday that already seven suspects had been arrested and would be arraigned soon.
“We have the understanding with the leadership of the contending political parties, and they have signed a peace pact, in view of that therefore, anyone found outside this arrangement will be treated as common criminals,” Gumel had said.
Gumel also called on residents to ignore calls for the closure of markets and streets by some ‘troublemakers.’
He said the police had received intelligence on plans by ‘some unpatriotic citizens to foment trouble under the guise of gathering to offer special prayers.’
“It was also brought to our notice that some people were circulating letters on social media calling for the closure of markets and other commercial activities in the state,” he added.
Gumel said the same group of people “are trying to begin the use of social media in sending negative and poisonous messages against police and other security agencies on the ongoing peace efforts we are embarking on.
“I appeal to residents not to hesitate to report any person or group found circulating any form of information that could cause violence to the nearest security outfits for prompt action.”
However, normalcy later returned to the ancient city following the peaceful protest that lasted several hours.
(ThePunch)
