Month: August 2024

By Uzair Adam

On Thursday afternoon, a young man died after a group of looters broke into a store in Kano.

The store, located in the Sarari Quarters area, was filled with food items like rice, sugar, and flour.

The Daily Reality reliably gathered that the looters overpowered the security guard and started taking things from the store.

When the police arrived, they used teargas and guns to try to stop the looters.

Even so, some looters tried to keep stealing from behind the store. One of them was shot and died.

This happened during a time of unrest in Kano, where there have been reports of looting and damage to property at several places.

 By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has declared a 24-hour curfew throughout the state, effective immediately, in response to the escalating violence and disruptions that have emerged amid civil demonstrations. 

According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the decision was made unanimously during an Emergency State Security Council meeting. 

The governor stated that the curfew is necessary to restore order and ensure the safety of communities, following the hijacking of peaceful protests by thugs and hoodlums who engaged in looting, destruction of property, and violence against innocent citizens. 

“The imposition of this curfew is a necessary measure to restore order and ensure the safety of our communities,” said Governor Yusuf.

“It is paramount that we protect our citizens from further harm and preserve the sanctity of our state’s institutions and businesses.” 

The governor called on citizens to remain vigilant and united, saying, “Let us not allow the actions of a few selfish individuals to divide us. Together, we can navigate these challenges and fortify our resolve to build a stronger, more resilient Kano State.” 

All security agencies in the state have been directed to ensure full compliance with the curfew, and citizens are urged to heed this directive for their safety and well-being.

By Uzair Adam

Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, has condemned the senseless destruction of the NCC’s Digital Innovation Park in Kano.

The facility, poised for launch next week, was ravaged by fire and looted during the protests on Thursday.

This cutting-edge hub was designed to turbocharge Nigeria’s technical talent accelerator program (3MTT) and host various initiatives, including a buildathon holiday maker program for secondary school kids commencing next week.

Dr. Tijani expressed his dismay on social media, stating, “Devastated to learn that our Digital Innovation Park in Kano, slated for launch next week to supercharge our technical talent accelerator (3MTT), has been reduced to ashes and plundered by protesters.”

The minister stated the devastating impact of this destruction on planned initiatives, saying, “In addition to #3MTT, this facility was set to host our buildathon holiday maker program for secondary school kids starting next week.”

He also lamented the loss, saying, “A staggering amount of resources, worth millions of Naira, have been squandered.”

This incident unfolded amidst widespread unrest in Kano, where protesters targeted the yet-to-be-commissioned NCC Industrial Park.

By Uzair Adam

Security operatives have arrested more than five hoodlums around Audu Bako Way, in Kano State who looted shops and offices around the area under the guise of hardship protest.

Bags of rice, cartons of noodles, bags of salt and sugar, gallons of groundnut oils and furniture were stolen by the hoodlums that broke into shops and offices.

The Daily Reality repoter who went on the field reported that Rufaida Yoghurt shop and Oasis Bakery along Hadejia Road were stormed by the protesters.

The angry youths have looted and stolent properties worth millions of naira.

However, in the course of the arrest, the security operatives were stoned and had to resort to firing teargas to disperse the crowd that wanted to overpower them.

Some of the looters ran into houses around the area with the stolen items which led to the security operatives pursuing them to ensure arrest.

Hundreds of other protesters were also seen chanting we are not thieves, we are protesting to protect our rights on Audu Bako Way, Lodge Road and parts of State Road.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Borno State Government has announced an immediate 24-hour curfew across the state.

This is in response to the tragic detonation of an improvised explosive device in Kawori Market, Konduga area of Borno State on Wednesday night.

The explosion suspected to be carried out by a Boko Haram suicide bomber resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals and critical injuries to several others.

Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, disclosed this in a Thursday press release obtained by The Daily Reality titled, “Imposition of Curfew,”, the statement noted that the bomb explosion prompted Governor Babagana Zulum, to consult with top security officials before implementing this measure.

According to the statement, the curfew aims to restore law and order and ensure public safety.

It read, “In view of the constitutional mandate of the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security and law enforcement agencies toward the preservation of law and order in the state. You are all aware of the incident that took place at Kawori which was the detonation of an improvised explosive devices ordinance device which led to the death of (16) persons while several others were critically injured and on admission across various Government hospitals in the state.“

In line with our constitutional mandate towards the restoration of law and order his Excellency the Executive Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umar Zulum in consultation with heads of security in the state, finds it’s expedient to declare 24hrs curfew in the state with immediate effect.

The PPRO urged residents to stay calm and adhere to the curfew. Further updates will be provided as the situation develops.

“I, therefore, wish to call upon the good people of Borno State to remain calm and law-abiding. Further developments will be communicated to you accordingly, please,” it concluded.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Protesters gathering at the Government House in Kano State were met with force on Thursday morning as police responded to the escalating demonstration by firing gunshots and teargas. 

The protesters, who had converged from various parts of the city, were participating in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest against hardship and were expecting Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to address them. 

However, as the protest gained momentum, some individuals among the crowd began assembling tyres and setting them ablaze near the gate, prompting the police to take action. 

According to Daily Trust, security forces at the Government House responded to the situation by firing gunshots and teargas in an attempt to disperse the crowd. 

The nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest is calling for urgent action to address pressing economic concerns, including soaring food inflation, general inflation, and other related issues. 

No reports of casualties or arrests have been made at this time.

The situation remains tense as protesters continue to demand action from the government to address their grievances.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Protesters in Abuja have vowed to continue their demonstrations unless President Bola Tinubu meets their demands, calling on him to “do the needful” and bring an end to the protests.

Speaking to journalists, Damilare Adenola, Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, lamented the prolonged oppression under President Tinubu’s leadership, stating, “Our presence here today is an announcement that we have been oppressed for too long. Today, we have risen.”

Adenola stated that the protesters would remain on the streets until their demands are met, saying, “We are saying to the president that unless President Bola Tinubu accedes to our demands, we will remain on the streets. We want to see the president on the street. During the protest, he was on the street.”

Another leader of the movement, Ayoola Babalola, condemned the show of force around the premises of the Moshood Abiola, calling it “an embarrassment to the nation.”

He vowed that the protesters would not be intimidated, despite the heavy security presence.

The protesters also criticized the various court orders restricting them to particular locations, with Adenola calling them “an aberration.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has pledged to strengthen its partnership with the Defence Research and Development Bureau (DRDB) to enhance security presence at borderlines across the country.

Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, made this commitment on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, when he received a delegation from the DRDB led by Major General Emmanuel Ndagi. 

Adeniyi stated the importance of leveraging technological advancements to achieve economic growth, stating, “I see a lot of possibilities that will continue to evolve between the Nigeria Customs Service and DRDB in the area of technology because we live in the age of technology now.” 

He highlighted the NCS’s commitment to research and development, saying, “We believe that any organisation that ignores research and developments might be digging its own grave… We have set up a structure devoted to our special intelligence, and a Command and Staff College, where we engage our students in periodic research and operations.” 

Major General Ndagi, Director-General of DRDB, expressed optimism about the partnership, stating, “Addressing these challenges with compassion and jointly developing technologies that address border security concerns will help us to fortify our border areas.” 

The partnership aims to combat border crimes using geospatial intelligence and coordinate significant operations at border areas across the federation.