Anger As Police Arrest 25 Over Niger Hunger Protest

The arrest of 25 people by Niger State Police Command for allegedly initiating last Monday‘s protest against hunger in Minna, Niger State has been greeted with outrage.

Last Monday, a large number of women and youths mobilised themselves and blocked Minna-Bida Road and Kpakungu Roundabout protesting against increase in foodstuff prices, hunger and general high cost of living.

The police public relations officer in charge of Niger State command Wasiu Abiodun confirmed that one Aisha Jibrin, the initiator of the protest, was arrested with 24 others.

Meanwhile, residents have expressed dismay over the action of the police.

A resident who identified himself as Mohammed said, „I was there, they were peaceful until the police arrived and started throwing tear gas.”

Another resident of the area who preferred anonymity said the authorities will only worsen the situation if they begin to arrest peaceful protesters.

Most of those interviewed advised those in positions of authority to treat the situation with caution in order not to start another crisis considering the precarious economic situation.

Abiodun said the command immediately drafted police patrol teams led by the deputy commissioner of police (Operations) DCP Shehu Umar Didango to the scene during the protest and after much persuasion by the police, the protesters refused to clear the road for public use.

He said the Niger State deputy governor Yakubu Garba also came to the scene and addressed the group, yet they refused and went violent.

Consequently, Abiodun said the police adopted minimum force to disperse the protesters who turned violent by attacking the police with dangerous weapons such as stones, bottles, sticks, cutlasses and damaged police patrol vehicles and parts of the Kpakungu Division roof.

„In the course of this, the police arrested the initiator of the protest one Aisha Jibrin 30yrs, Fatima Aliyu 57yrs, Fatima Isyaku, 43, all of Soje ‚A‘ of Kpakungu area of Minna and 22 other miscreants with the following dangerous weapons: a bench and a stick used as barricade, three knives, one scissors, one cutlass, one saw blade, one iron pipe, four other sticks, two wraps of Indian hemp and charms,“ he stated.

Abiodun added that „during interrogation, the said Aisha claimed that she was not aware that her action was illegal by mobilizing over 100 women and miscreants to block the highway for a violent protest. She claimed further that she informed one youth leader Hassan in the area, who promised to inform the police of their plan to protest, but did not do so.“

The PPRO said all suspects were taken to SCID Minna for investigation and they will be charged to court for prosecution, as effort is ongoing to arrest other identified members of the protest.