A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Sani Nazifi, narrowly avoided an angry mob during a protest in Jigawa on Thursday. Representing Gumel, Gagarawa, and Maigarati, Nazifi escaped as protesters, enraged by hunger and bad governance, targeted his residence.
The protesters, failing to find Nazifi, turned their fury towards the All Progressives Congress (APC) Zonal Vice Chairman’s home, only to find it vacant as he had also fled. In their anger, the protesters moved to the APC state headquarters, where they set the building ablaze.
Nationwide protests on Thursday saw citizens demanding government intervention to reduce food prices and alleviate hunger. Initially, the demonstration in Jigawa began peacefully. The state and federal governments had tried to prevent unrest by distributing relief materials, cash, and rice. However, the protest soon escalated into violence.
Witnesses reported that the lack of government officials to address the crowd fueled the protesters’ anger. They marched to the APC secretariat in Dutse, destroying billboards and other publicity materials before burning down the building. Vehicles parked on the premises were also set on fire.
As the violence spread, the police attempted to control the situation by firing teargas, but this effort was unsuccessful. Reports indicate that two people were killed, and over ten others injured. Four individuals were hospitalized due to injuries and suffocation from teargas.
Despite the police presence, the situation spiraled out of control. Armed youths began attacking innocent residents, and the violence extended to Birnin Kudu. There, they looted and vandalized the State Fertilizer and Grains Stores. The store of the state Agricultural Supply Company (JASCO) in Gumel was similarly ransacked.
