Hike in food prices : Police arrest protesters in Minna , say they were violent, destroyed police vehicles , roof with stones 

The police in Minna Niger state have arrested protesters who had trooped out to cry out over the escalating cost of foodstuffs in the country .

The protest which took place on  Monday, February 5, was allegedly led by one Aisha Jibrin a 30 year old woman who had mobilised other women to  block the  Minna-Bida Road near the   Kpakungu Roundabout.

The protesting women and other men who later joined them according to reports prevented vehicular movement and caused obstructions for hours. 

DSP Wasiu Abiodun, the spokesperson for the Niger State police said the leafer of the protest Aisha Jubril , two women and  22 others were arrested because they were violent during the protest. 

The command statement reads 

“It could be recalled that on 5/2/2024 at about 0700hrs, a large number of women and miscreants mobilized themselves and blocked Minna-Bida road and Kpakungu Roundabout claiming to be protesting against increase in foodstuff prices, causing major obstruction on the highway and deprived motorists, travellers and other road users from gaining access to attend to their lawful businesses,” 

"The Command immediately drafted Police patrol teams led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations DCP Shehu Umar Didango to the scene, and after much persuasion by the Police, the protesters deliberately refused to clear the road for public use, while His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Niger State Com. Yakubu Garba equally availed himself at the scene and addressed the group, yet they turned deaf ears and chose to be violent.

"However, the Police adopted minimum force to disperse the protesters who turned violent by attacking the Police with dangerous weapons such as stones, bottles, sticks, cutlasses and damaged Police patrol vehicles and parts of the Kpakungu Division roof.

In the course of this, the Police arrested the initiator of the protest one Aisha Jibrin 30yrs, Fatima Aliyu 57yrs, Fatima Isyaku 43yrs all of Soje 'A' of Kpakungu area of Minna and twenty-two other miscreants.

The following dangerous weapons; a bench and a stick used as barricade, three knives, one scissors, one cutlass, one saw blade, one iron pipe, four other sticks, two wraps of Indian hemp, charms etc, were recovered from the suspects.

“During interrogation, the said Aisha claimed that she was not aware that her action was illegal by mobilizing over one hundred women and miscreants to block the highway for a violent protest. She claimed further that she informed one youth leader Hassan in the area, who promised to inform the Police of their plan to protest, but did not do so,” the statement read. 

"Meanwhile, all suspects were taken to SCID Minna for investigation and they will be charged to court for prosecution, as an effort is ongoing to arrest other identified members of the violent protest. 

“The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman, fsi urges Nigerlites, members of the public to be law-abiding and should not resort to self-help, but rather approach appropriate authority to address issues whenever the need arises.”