The governor of Kano State, Nigeria, issued a 24-hour curfew on Thursday after crowds looted and destroyed property amid anti-corruption protests. As a result of the curfew, all citizens are expected to stay home, effectively prohibiting them from demonstrating in public spaces. The protests turned violent with demonstrators setting fire to tires in front of the state governor’s residence, while looters broke into a nearby warehouse, stealing containers of vegetable cooking oil and mattresses. In response, police used live bullets, tear gas, and boiling water to disperse the crowds, leading to four people being injured and taken to the hospital.
Motivated by anti-corruption protests in Kenya and Uganda, Nigerian youth have taken to the streets to demand government accountability. They have also demanded that the government address 18 other issues, including unemployment, hunger, election reforms, and the deteriorating economy. The protests have been organized under the hashtag #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria on major social media platforms like X. Despite the widespread support, the state, supported by the Inspector General of Police, has dismissed the protests as an attempt to create disturbances within the country.
Several human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have expressed concern about the authorities using disproportionate force to quell the protests. These organizations emphasize that the freedom to demonstrate is guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, urging the state to safeguard this and other fundamental rights during the demonstrations.
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