Niger State Police Command has taken decisive action by apprehending Aisha Jibrin, a 57-year-old woman, along with 24 other individuals, for their involvement in a protest in Minna.
The demonstration was triggered by the recent surge in food prices and led to a major disruption on the Minna-Bida road and Kpakungu Roundabout.
In an official statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, revealed that the protesters obstructed the highway, causing inconvenience to motorists, travelers, and other road users who were unable to conduct their lawful businesses.
Despite efforts by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations DCP Shehu Umar Didango, and the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Com. Yakubu Garba, to address and disperse the group peacefully, the protesters remained unyielding.
Abiodun stated, ” The Command immediately drafted patrol teams led by the Deputy Commissioner, 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.
“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.”
He further disclosed that 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: Fatima Aliyu; Aisha Jibrin; Fatima Isyaku, and 22 other miscreants,” he said.
Items recovered from them include 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 among others.
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Abiodun revealed that during interrogation, Aisha Jibrin claimed ignorance of the illegality of her actions and stated that she had informed a local youth leader named Hassan, who allegedly failed to notify the police about the planned protest.
The suspects, including the alleged initiator Aisha Jibrin, have been taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further investigation. Authorities plan to press charges against them, and efforts are underway to apprehend other identified members of the violent protest.