Police: 25 suspects arrested for organising violent protest in Niger state

The Niger police command says 25 persons have been arrested for allegedly organising “violent protest” in the state.

On Monday, many residents took to the streets in the Kpakunku area of Minna, the state capital, to protest the “economic hardship” in the country.

Some residents in the early hours of today had also hit the street in the Suleja area of Niger state to protest the high cost of living in the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, Wasiu Abiodun, police spokesperson in the state, said one Aisha Jibrin, the initiator of the protest, has been arrested.

Abiodun said the protesters blocked the road and refused to clear after several pleas by the police.

He said the protesters later became violent and destroyed police patrol vehicles, adding that they were wielding “dangerous weapons”.

“It could be recalled that on 5/2/2024 at about 0700hrs, a large number of women and miscreants mobilized themselves and blocked Minna-Bida road and Kpakungu roundabout claiming to be protesting against increase in foodstuff prices, causing major obstruction on the highway and deprived motorists, travelers and other road users from gaining access to attend to their lawful businesses,” the statement reads.

“The command immediately drafted police patrol teams led by the deputy commissioner of police, operations DCP Shehu Umar Didango to the scene, and after much persuasion by the police, the protesters deliberately refused to clear the road for public use, while his excellency, the deputy governor of Niger state com. Yakubu Garba equally availed himself at the scene and addressed the group, yet they turned deaf ears and chose to be violent.

“However, 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 43yrs all of Soje ‘A’ of Kpakungu area of Minna and twenty-two other miscreants.”

He said the police recovered a bench and a stick used as barricades, three knives, one scissors, one cutlass, one saw blade, one iron pipe, four other sticks, and two wraps of Indian hemp and charms.

“During interrogation, the said Aisha claimed that she was not aware that her action was illegal by mobilizing over one hundred women and miscreants to block the highway for a violent protest,” Abiodun added.

“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 police spokesperson added that the suspects have been taken to the state criminal investigation department (SCID) for investigation.