The Niger State Police Command has arrested the alleged
initiator of what it described as a ‘violent protest’ in Minna, Aisha Jibrin.
Recall that residents of Minna on Monday, February 5, 2024,
trooped out in large numbers to protest the hardship in the country caused by
the rising cost of living.
The protest started when a group of women blocked Minna-Bida
Road at the popular Kpakungu Roundabout to lament what they termed the
suffering under the Bola Tinubu government. They were later joined by men and
youths stopping vehicles from moving.
Spokesperson of the command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, who
disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, February 7, said Aisha was arrested
along with two other women and 22 other suspects.
“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, travellers and other road users from gaining access to
attend to their lawful businesses,”
"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.
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, charms etc, were recovered
from the suspects.
“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. 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 statement read.
"Meanwhile, all suspects were taken to SCID Minna for
investigation and they will be charged to court for prosecution, as an effort
is ongoing to arrest other identified members of the violent protest.
“The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Shawulu
Ebenezer Danmamman, fsi urges Nigerlites, members of the public to be
law-abiding and should not resort to self-help, but rather approach appropriate
authority to address issues whenever the need arises.”
