One person has been confirmed dead in a recent protest that occurred in Kano State. The protest was a result of an Appeal Court verdict that removed Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) from office.
The deceased, Salisu Rabiu, was a footballer who was shot by the police while they were trying to disperse the protesters.
The protest marks the fourth one since the governor was sacked on November 17, 2023, and Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner of the March election.
During the protest, participants held placards with messages such as ‘Our mandate must be restored’ and ‘Kano voted for Abba’, highlighting the perceived injustice in the court decision.
The protesters, who were wearing red, a color associated with the Kwankwasiyya movement led by Rabiu Kwankwaso, the NNPP’s presidential candidate for 2023 and former governor of Kano, expressed their dissatisfaction through solidarity songs.
Policemen were observed stationed at different entrances of the state. The protesters obstructed the road that connects to Katsina State, causing inconvenience for travelers.
In a statement, Abdullahi Kiyawa, the police spokesman in the state, confirmed the arrest of a trigger-happy cop in the Fagge Local Government Area, where “Police Inspector who did not receive any command from the existing chain of Command fired a shot and unfortunately wounded two persons with one other person died while receiving treatment at the hospital”.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Gumel, directed the Area Commander Dala, ACP NuhuDigi to fish out the erring police inspector with a view to constituting a board of inquiry into the cause of the incident of which the outcome will be communicated to the public.
“Few hours later, the Police Inspector has since been arrested and is now in Police custody,” the statement partly read.
The police expressed their regret over the death of the protester and offered condolences to the family of the deceased.
A protest similar to the one in Abuja occurred on Wednesday, as the leaders of NNPP refused to accept the decision made by the appellate court.
The protest began at the party’s headquarters in Abuja and then spread to the ECOWAS Secretariat, the United Nations Office, and several Embassies in Abuja.
The protesters aimed to bring awareness to the situation in Kano after the appellate court ruling on the governorship election.
