. 6 Protesters in Niger, 4 In Borno, Stray Bullet Kills Shop Owner In Kebbi
. FCT Protesters Vandalise Govt Vehicles; Properties, As Hoodlums Snatch Phones, Handbags
No fewer than 11 people have reportedly been killed in three states across the Northern Nigeria as the hunger protest turned violent.
In the protest tagged ##EndBadGovernance, six protesters were reported to have been shot in Niger, four protesters in Borno, while a stray bullet reportedly hit and killed a shop owner In Kebbi state.
The FCT protest was also hijacked by hoodlums who vandalised government vehicles; properties, in Nyanya, Maraba areas of the city.
They also reportedly snatched phones and handbags of passers-by.
As the protests go berserk in Maiduguri, four persons suspected to be workers have died at Kime filling station around Bolori junction of the metropolis.
In Kebbi state, a stray bullet was said to have killed a shop owner who reportedly died on the spot.
Also, residents of Nyanya, in Karu Local Government Council of the Federal Capital Territory and its neighbouring Mararaba, in Nasarawa State are counting their losses as hoodlums hijacked the protests, destroying property and vehicles suspected to belong to the government.
Maiduguri
The death of the four people at Kime Filling Station in Maiduguri was said to have been caused by an explosion.
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According to sources, the victims are still in the pool of their blood at press time, even as the video has gone viral in Social Media Platforms.
Already, Police authority have imposed 24-hour curfew in the state, citing violence that escalated in the nationwide protests and the Bomb blast that took place in Kawuri village of Konduga local government area of the state which left 20 people dead with 16 injured.
Report indicated that the victims/workers of the filling station were shot as a result of stray bullets, while other version revealed that there was no sign of bullets/gunshots on the victims.
Speaking to one of the filling station attendant, Baba Musa in an telephone call, said, “it was an explosion that took place and killed four persons instantly, while I managed and escape unhurt”.
The Chairman of Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Borno State branch, Alhaji Mohammed Kuluwu confirmed the killing of four persons at Kime filling station in the afternoon, but said, he has been making contact with the Director of the affected station, but couldn’t get his phone line to ascertain details of what led to the killing of the victims.
Kebbi state
Also, amid violent protest in Yauri local government area of Kebbi state a stray bullet allegedly fired by marine police near Yauri river has killed a business man in his shop where he sales plastics.
A source confirmed the incident, saying that the protest became violent when protesters blocked the federal highway blocking traffic into Yauri town.
He added that, while marine police engaged the protesters to disperse them allegedly fired bullets and a stray bullet hit and killed the innocent plastic seller in his shop whose name is yet to be identified as tension rises in Yauri local government.
However, efforts to get the reaction of Nigeria police ,Kebbi state Command were unsuccessful as the police image maker, SP Nafiu Abubakar didn’t answer call made to his line and as well didn’t reply text message sent to him for enquiries.
Abuja
The three major markets in Abuja – Wuse, Utako, and Garki – were closed only skeletal activities recorded at Garki market.
Our correspondents visited the markets and observed that most traders failed to show up, while those who did refused to display their goods.
The impact of the protest extended beyond the markets, as a drive through the Abuja metropolis revealed a ghost town-like atmosphere, with most businesses and offices closed.
In Nyanya, Karu Local Government Council of the Federal Capital Territory and its neighbouring Mararaba, in Nasarawa State, residents are counting their losses as hoodlums hijacked the protests, destroying property and vehicles belonging to the government.
Besides, the hoodlums who overwhelmed security personnel deployed to the areas, were seen attacking motorists and looting items from vehicles just as some vehicles glasses were destroyed.
The hoodlums who were not deterred by the heavy presence of security personnel compromising men of the Nigerian Army, The Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps among others, freely attacked and dispossessed some persons of their handbags and phones.
Even as soldiers shot in the air repeatedly to scare the hoodlums, they destroyed some shops along the ever-busy Abuja-Keffi highway and cart away some wares.
Some of the hoodlums climbed the pedestrian bridge at Orange Market, close to the Muhammadu Buhari International Market, Mararaba with some metal equipment and attempted to destroy the bridge. They were only able to destroy the billboard on the before the Nigeria Army personnel drove there and stationed their vehicles under the bridge.
The military personnel who could not fire, given the large number of the hoodlums at the top of the bridge, only prevailed on them to get down from the bridge.
As they were climbing down, the soldiers were waving at them, apparently in solidarity.
Commuters plying the road were engaging the services of security personnel to get to their various destinations.
But the commuters who failed to insert fresh leaves indicating their solidarity with the protests, had their vehicles’ glasses destroyed just as those trekking along the road without carrying fresh leaves were attacked and their belongings, including phones dispossessed from them
At the time of this report, a helicopter said to belong to the Nigeria Police, was seen hovering the sky.
No fewer than six people have reportedly been shot dead while some sustained injuries in the ongoing protest in Suleja, Niger State.
The victims were said to have killed while security operatives were dislodging a group of protesters who mounted barricade on a section of Abuja-Kaduna highway.
Passengers and motorists were trapped on the road for hours.Some policemen who were around the barricade could not control the youths who outnumbered them.
However, a reinforcement team was sent to the scene where pandemonium occurred.
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Among those killed was said to be Yahaya Nda Isah, a resident of Hassan Dalatu Road, Suleja, who was hit by a stray bullet.
The bullet reportedly hit Isa on his bike in front of the Suleja Police ‘A’ division where protesters had assembled. A nephew of the deceased told Daily Trust that his uncle was on his bike when the bullet fired to disperse the protesters hit him on his chest and he died on the spot.
“He was my uncle. He was not even protesting. He was passing in front of the Police ‘A’ division where some people were protesting when stray Bullet hit him on his chest and he died. As I speak with you, I am in his house alongside other mourners. It’s unfortunate”, he said.
Another victim was simply identified as Mallam Abu also said died on the spot.One of the residents who did not want his name mentioned told Daily Trust that 3 other people were shot at the same scene while 2 others were shot at the Suleja Junction on Abuja-Kaduna road but could not confirm if other victims were dead.
Another resident who said his shop was not far from the Suleja Police “A” division said he had to close to run for his life.
“We heard people shouting and gunshots were heard for about 20 minutes at Emir Roundabout. The situation in Suleja is ugly”, Bala Abdullahi, another resident.
Spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said some hoodlums also attempted to set the Tafa LGA ablaze but they were dispersed by security operatives.
“The miscreants attempted to set the Tafa LGA ablaze, they were dispersed by the Police and military. Kaduna road and toll gate was cleared,” he said.
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