The freshly constructed Digital Innovation Centre in Kano was set on fire and looted by thugs hiding under the #EndBadGovernanceProtest, according to Nigeria’s Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.
This is happening in the wake of images surfacing from the media depicting a crowd looting the recently constructed Digital Innovation Centre after setting fire to the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) building’s gatehouse in the state. Mob members were carrying out the looting of the centre’s furnishings, electronics, and numerous other items.
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Using his Twitter account, Minister Bosun lamented the theft of the facility, which was essential to his ministry’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative. The initiative aims to create the backbone of Nigeria’s technical talent. The minister described it as a “slight setback” for his ministry’s efforts to create an educated populace in digital technology.
Bosun Tijani said, “Sad to learn that our Digital Innovation Park in Kano, slated for launch next week to support our technical talent accelerator (3MTT), has been set ablaze and looted by protesters.
Alongside #3MTT, this building is set to host our buildathon holiday maker programme for secondary school kids starting next week. This is a slight setback for our journey to deepen our workforce for technology while creating job opportunities for the youth. Millions of Naira down the drain”.
Understanding the Roots of Unrest in Kano
Protests have engulfed Kano, joining a growing nationwide movement that has sparked demonstrations in multiple states across Nigeria.
The protesters, united in their discontent, are clamouring for a wide range of concessions from the federal government, which they have distilled into a singular, resounding rallying cry: “An end to bad governance in Nigeria”.
As the protests gain momentum, the people are making their voices heard, demanding sweeping changes to address the country’s pressing issues and calling for a new era of transparency, accountability, and effective leadership.
What caused the unrest in Kano state, which resulted in the looting of the Digital Centre and the burning of the NCC building, is unknown. There have allegedly been reports of looting and vandalism at other businesses in the state, which has prompted calls for security authorities to intervene and put an end to the rebellion.
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Exploring the Impact of Protests Across Nigerian Cities
Protests have swept Nigeria, with demonstrations recorded in at least 11 cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Benin, Warri, Yenagoa, Kaduna, Jos, Sapele, and Kano. While the protests have been mainly peaceful in most cities, with marchers chanting slogans and holding placards, Abuja’s situation took a tense turn.
At Eagle Square, police fired teargas into the crowd of protesters, a move that reportedly sparked violent responses. Eyewitnesses claim that the teargas triggered a chain reaction, with some protesters becoming agitated and vandalizing a nearby police stand.
A social media video shows the aftermath of the incident, with shattered glass and debris scattered around the damaged police structure. Despite this isolated incident, the protests have generally remained peaceful, with demonstrators calling for an end to bad governance and demanding sweeping reforms in Nigeria.