Kaduna Imposes 24-Hour Curfew, As Nationwide Protesters Dare  President Tinubu

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Amidst escalating protests in the State’s major cities with concomitant looting and destruction of properties, the Kaduna State Government, on Monday August 5, 2024, imposed  a 24-hour curfew on the restive State.

President Bola Tinubu had on Sunday, August 4, in a nationwide broadcast, sued  for peace and cessation of protests across the country.

The President’s appeal came on the heels of a 10- day long nationwide protest declared across the country to protest against hunger and bad governance.

But while, President Tinubu’s address appeared to have stolen a great measure of tempo from the protests particularly in most North- West State’s, protesters in their numbers continued on Monday to hold down many parts of Kaduna State .

Majorly, in Zaria and Kaduna metropolis, protesters, as early as 8.00am, took over major roads and streets, making bonfires,destroying and looting shops.

The protesters waving Russian flags, in their  thousands, disrupted commercial activities and vehicular traffics.

In a statement, the officer-in-charge of the Kaduna State Ministry for Internal Affairs. Samuel Aruwan, said the imposition of 24-hour curfew on the State has become absolutely imperative in the face of the huge threat posed to the security and peace by the  rising wave of the EndBadGovernance protest.

“The Kaduna State Security Council under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani, following a review of the security situation in the state, hereby notifies citizens of the following.

“There is sufficient evidence to clearly indicate that the ongoing protest has been hijacked by criminal elements who have resorted to looting of shops and destruction of private and public properties.

“In view of this unfortunate development, the Kaduna State Security Council has unanimously resolved to impose a 24 hour curfew on Kaduna and Zaria metropolises and environ with immediate effect.

“Citizens are advised to remain indoors while security forces continue to work to maintain peace and security..

“Monitoring will be sustained for review of the curfew as required.” the statement reads .

Instructively, the imposition of 24-hour curfew on Kaduna is coming just at the same  time that Kano, and Yobe, two states that first embraced the option were relaxing theirs.

Following the spate of wanton destruction, arson and looting that characterized the day one of the protest on Thursday August 1, the two States slammed a 24-hour curfew to contain the situation.

But in  separate statements on Sunday, August 4, slight reviews were made by the two States.

While Kano’s will now run from 2pm to 8am ,Yobe residents are to  operate between 12 noon and 5 pm..