A curfew has been implemented in Kano, Nigeria’s second-largest state, following protests against high living costs that were reportedly overtaken by vandals engaging in extensive looting and property damage, according to the governor’s office.
On the first day of nationwide demonstrations, Kano saw the largest crowds, causing numerous businesses to close.
Protesters across major cities chanted slogans like “We are hungry.”
In response to the large crowds, police in Kano city deployed live ammunition, tear gas, and hot water to disperse thousands of demonstrators, resulting in four people being hospitalized.
Protesters had previously set tires ablaze outside the residence of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and looters had broken into a nearby warehouse, carrying away 25-liter cartons of vegetable oil and mattresses. Many in Kano were seen with these yellow cartons of cooking oil.
The newly imposed curfew aims to halt the protests and requires all residents to stay indoors.
According to the 2006 census, Kano state had a population of 9.4 million, though current estimates suggest it may be around 20 million.
The protests, planned to last 10 days, were organized via social media and were inspired by recent successful protests in Kenya that led to the reversal of a tax increase.
Governor Yusuf’s spokesman stated that while the protests in Kano were initially peaceful, the curfew was necessary to “restore order and ensure the safety of our communities” because of “rampant looting, destruction of property and violence” unleashed by “thugs”.
In Abuja, a court instructed protesters to confine their demonstrations to the National Stadium on the city’s outskirts.
However, when protesters began moving into the city center on Thursday morning, police used tear gas to disrupt the march, causing traffic issues.
Security forces have been stationed at key locations within the capital and surrounding towns, where even banks are closed.
In Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, protesters chanted “ole,” meaning “thief” in Yoruba, targeting President Bola Tinubu and his administration.
The anger is largely directed at Tinubu’s removal of a fuel subsidy, announced immediately during his May 2023 inauguration, which led to soaring fuel prices and increased costs for other goods.
Abiodun Sanusi, a protester in Abuja, stated, “Top on our demand is the subsidy removal. The government should reverse that decision”.
Protesters are also calling for extensive reforms in Nigeria’s electoral system and judiciary.
Despite government appeals for patience to allow time for policies to take effect, protesters like Kingsley Uadiale argue that hunger is driving the demonstrations.
Mr Uadiale criticized the administration’s decision to purchase new planes for Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima, as a sign of insensitivity.
“Hunger is the reason why we’re all here. You can’t beat a baby and ask the baby not to cry.”
“You can’t tell us to be patient and you’re acquiring a private jet,” he added.
Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka, an activist in Lagos, emphasized that the protests aim to reverse the price hikes on essential goods. “If they don’t yield, we will continue to protest,” she told the BBC.
