How security agents in Kano, Zaria, killed teenagers, bride-to-be during #EndBadGovernance protests
A bride-to-be and four teenagers were reportedly killed by security operatives during the #EndBadGovernance protest in Kano and Kaduna States.
Neptune Prime reports that 16-year-old Isma’il Muhammad was gunned down on 6th of July 2024 (Tuesday) by a soldier in Samaru, Zaria.
The deceased’s mother, Zainab Sani, said he was playing with his friends and a brother in front of their house, “but when they sighted the soldiers coming towards their direction with one of them pointing his gun at them, they ran into their house and shut the gate, yet the soldier followed them into the house and shot him,” she said.
She demanded that the soldier be brought to justice.
The nationwide hunger protest, which started on Thursday, August 1, has resulted in the killing of many protesters allegedly by security operatives.
READ ALSO: Army commiserates as soldier kills 16-year-old Zaria boy during hunger protest
The Kano incidents happened at Kofar Nassarawa, Kurnar Asabe and Rjiyar Lemo.
One of the victims, Abdulkadir Labaran Babah Alfindiki, was allegedly killed at Kofar Nassarawa.
Speaking to the journalist, his mother, Aisha Isah Babah, said, “He left home for his working place, but as times passes he didn’t show up for his lunch, I became so worried and uncomfortable. I did not call him nor did I talk to anybody about my worries. Little did I know that he has been killed.”
She said she left everything to God as the deceased was an orphan and she cannot fight to get justice for him.
The mother of one 15-year-old Kashifu Abdullahi Gyaranya, who was also killed during the protest, Maryam Sani, said, “As he was leaving home, I asked him where he was going to, but he told me that he was going outside to see his friends. I warned him not to join the protest. He said he would not. Only for me to be called and informed that he was killed. And that is all.”
READ ALSO: Kano gov’t declares 24-hour curfew amid deadly hunger protest
A bride-to-be, Firdausi Muhammad, was reportedly killed by a stray bullet, allegedly from the rifle of a policeman in Rijiyar Lemo, during the protest on Saturday. She was to get married next week.
One Umar Abubakar Hausawa was also said to have been killed by a police stray bullet during the protest at Kofar Nassarawa the same day.
His brother, Rabiu Abubakar, said, “When he was told that our younger brothers had joined the protesters, he was angry and told our mother that he was going to call them back. That was how he went and met his untimely death there.”
Reacting, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa said that the police tried to maintain law and order in Rijiyar Lemo as the youths of the area tried to overpowered them.
“Actually, what happened was you know the Kano State Government has imposed curfew in the state so the youths who were in their hundreds tried to trespass into people’s shops to steal their goods. So, our men tried to disperse them but instead of them to go back to their houses they turned violent, and started throwing stones at our personnel,” he said.
He said that the situation warranted the reinforcement of more personnel in order to maintain law and order.
He said the law has allowed the police to defend themselves, adding that the command had launched an investigation into the cases to ascertain what happened.
Meanwhile, a coalition of 13 civil society organisations (CSOs), on Tuesday, urged the federal government to prosecute security personnel found culpable in killing of peaceful demonstrators during the hunger protests across the country.
The 13 CSOs made the demand in a joint statement signed by Accountability Lab Nigeria, BudgIT Foundation, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, #FixPolitics, Global Rights, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Media Rights Agenda (MRA).
Others are Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Sesor Empowerment Foundation, TechHer, Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), and Yiaga Africa.
The CSOs said failure to prosecute the security agents involved in the killing of protesters would send a bad signal on President Bola Tinubu’s message on dialogue.
They said the president failed to acknowledge that the security forces’ response to protesters had resulted in the extra-judicial killing of several protesters, and equally missed the opportunity to assure the nation that their perpetrators would be held accountable.
They said, “The president has expressed the government’s openness to dialogue with protesters on these demands. It is therefore our candid advice that this is pursued by officials and representatives of both sides with sincerity of purpose.
“This should begin with an immediate release of all arrested peaceful protesters and sanctions against security agents who attacked unharmed peaceful protesters. We remind the government that should security forces continue to aggravate protesters, it may become difficult to broker dialogue.
“It is our recommendation that representatives of the National Peace Committee and reputable civil society groups serve as facilitators and observers of this dialogue process and its outcomes”, they said.
Following the violence that ensued from the nationwide hunger protests, police have commenced trial of about 800 persons arrested across the country.
The force said the number of suspects arrested in connection with the flying of Russian flags in some states, including Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi and Katsina states, had risen to 90.
Announcing the new arrests, the Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the operatives of the force were working relentlessly to arrest those who sponsored the mass-production of the foreign flag.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, disclosed that trial of suspects arrested during the #EndBadGovernance protests had commenced.
He said the suspects arrested in Kano were being tried at the police headquarters because of their large number.
He said, “I want to tell you that the trial of those suspects arrested during protests has begun, about 800 of them. In Kano for example, because we have a large number of arrests, the magistrate moved to the police headquarters and that is where the trial is ongoing right now.”
Proofreading and editing by Gift Luckson and Hafsat Aleeyu Muye, Editor and Journalist at Neptune Prime.
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