Security agents in manhunt for foreign sponsors, make arrests in Kano

*Kaduna, Jigawa protesters defy curfew raze Hon Gumel’s house

*APC secretariats, billboards attacked in Rivers, Zamfara

BY ORIAKU IJELE & GABRIEL IDIBIA

The international dimension to the #ENDBADGOVERNANCE protests across Nigeria, where the Russian flag is being hoisted by the protesters has elicited a crackdown against suspected foreign elements, who are believed to be behind the moves.

The Kano State Police Command has announced the arrest of several foreign nationals believed to be sponsoring the protesters. This revelation came after a security meeting between the state’s Police Commissioner, Salman Dogo, and the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf.

The Police Command in Kano State said it has also arrested 76 persons in connection with 25 Russian flags recently held by protesters in various parts of Kano.

“The suspects were found with 25 Russian flags and their arrest has been linked to a case of sedition,” Commissioner of Police in the north-western state, Salma Dogo, told the media on Tuesday in Kano.

“The suspects were apprehended at different locations across the metropolis and have been transferred to Abuja for further investigation,” he said.

Dogo urged residents to support the efforts of security personnel by providing information that could aid the quest to apprehend those involved in the recent mass looting of public assets.

He assured the public that the police and other security agencies would maintain a visible presence in and around the metropolis to ensure law and order.

Meanwhile protests continued on Day 6 in Kaduna, especially Zaria as well as Jigawa, where Hon. Gumel’s residence was torched by the protesters. In Zaria, a youth was allegedly hit and killed by a stray bullet when security operatives engaged protesters suspected to be hoodlums in the Samaru community.

The hoodlums reportedly defied the curfew imposed on the ancient city of Zaria area of Kaduna State.

Eyewitness sources from Zaria told journalists that the window created for the inhabitants of Samaru to mingle and visit close markets within the community despite the curfew was capitalised by the hoodlums who regrouped and decided to confuse the area.

Security operatives and soldiers were immediately mobilized to the area and clamp down on the hoodlums.

“There were gunshots. People ran in all directions and everything came to a stop. The hoodlums ran away as they were overpowered by the superior firepower of the security operatives”.

”Sadly, bullets penetrated the door of one house in the area and killed a boy. I believe he should have been buried by now,” the source said.

Normalcy has since returned to the Samaru community with a reinforcement of security agents and soldiers. Other parts of Zaria were quiet and peaceful, as only small children were sighted playing football in empty streets.

In a related development, the protests took an uninteresting turn in Port Harcourt, River State and Zamfara where key assets of the All Progressives Congress, APC were destroyed. Eye witness accounts in both states told Daily Times that the secretariats of the APC were attacked while billboards were also damaged.

But in a swift reaction, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information Joe Johnson absolved his party, PDP of any blames. He said the Governor Siminalayi Fubara-led government is too occupied with the management of the state to consider such an act.

The commissioner said Governor Fubara demonstrated good leadership by addressing the protesters on the first day of the demonstration which further reduced the perceived tension in the state.