In a troubling turn of events, miscreants and criminal elements hijacked the ongoing protests in Kaduna, causing havoc by breaking into shops and snatching cell phones from unsuspecting citizens.
The chaos erupted as the demonstration, initially peaceful, was overtaken by violence.
In the Kawo area of Kaduna North, a miscreant faced mob justice after being caught in the act.
He was beaten to a stupor by an angry crowd before being handed over to security operatives.
The situation further escalated as hoodlums blocked vehicles on the Zaria road axis, harassing passengers and forcibly seizing phones and other valuables while brandishing dangerous weapons.
The protest procession, which included youths, children, and women waving Russian flags, moved from Kawo toward the NEPA roundabout in the city’s heart.
However, the scene quickly deteriorated when the miscreants began burgling shops and looting.
Security operatives intervened to disperse the crowd, but it remained unclear if any arrests were made as the police had not issued a statement at the time of reporting.
In Zaria, approximately 75 kilometers from Kaduna, the situation was similarly tense.
Massive looting by hoodlums prompted swift action from security forces.
According to a source, “Two hoodlums who tried to assault a security operative at the Danmagaji area in Zaria were feared dead.”
Meanwhile, in an interview, Alhaji Haidara, a commissioner in Zamfara State, noted that protesters in Gusau, like those in Kaduna, also waved the Russian flag.
“Some of the protesters, especially the children, do not even know the implication of what they were doing.
They don’t even know the Russian flag given to them,” he remarked.
A protester, who wished to remain anonymous, explained the choice of flag:
“We are trying to attract the attention of Russia by waving the flag so that President Putin would come to our aid.
Since the West, like America and the UK, abandoned us and are conniving with the government to worsen our plight, we are now seeking the attention of Russia, just as was done in the Niger Republic and other countries in the Sahel.”
As tensions simmered, the Kaduna State government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew to curb further destruction and looting.
By press time, calm had been restored in Kaduna, Zaria, and surrounding areas, with security operatives maintaining a strong presence to ensure public safety.
