Police Declare 24-Hour Curfew In Borno As Protesters Go Berserk Over Gunshots, Teargas

The Borno State Police Command has imposed a 24-hour curfew amid the nationwide hunger protest.

The declaration was made after many protesters went berserk at the Bulunkutu area, in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, on Thursday as the police officers fired teargas to disperse them.

The angry protesters, in their hundreds, mounted roadblocks, preventing vehicular movement and breaking windscreens of private and commercial vehicles that insisted on passing.

The young men and women protesting were seen chanting anti-government songs, carrying placards with the inscriptions: “Ba ma yi”, “Tinubu must go”, “End the bad governance” and “there is hunger”.

One of the protesters, identified as Muhammad, who spoke with the publication above, said the teargas would not deter them, or even gunshots, while exercising their constitutional right to protest.

He said, “We want the world to know the kind of injustice meted against us by the police. They shoot teargas at us while conducting our peaceful protest and that would not deter us.”

Reacting to the development, the State Police Command Spokesperson, Nahum Kenneth  Daso, in a statement, said the curfew was based on security concerns and the bomb explosion which happened on Wednesday.

Daso said the curfew was declared in the interest of peace and urged residents of the state to remain calm and law-abiding.

The statement read, “In view of the constitutional mandate of the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security and law enforcement agencies toward 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 improvise explosive devices ordinance device which lead 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 its expedient to declare 24hrs curfew in the state with immediate effect.

“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.”