As members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) continue challenging the court of appeal judgment that sacked Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano, protesters returned to the streets on Wednesday in the commercial City.
At least a teenager, Salisu Player, has been allegedly shot dead by a police officer in the Kurna area of Kano when some youths were staging a protest.
Eyewitnesses further confirmed that the police had injured at least two other protesters.
Kano State Police Commissioner Usaini Gumel has ordered the arrest of an Inspector for the alleged killing and injuring of two others in the state.
A statement issued by the Supretindent of Police, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said the Police Command is following up on the unfortunate development.
According to the statement, “CP Gumel directed the Area Commander Dala, ACP Nuhu Mohammed Digi, to fish out the erring Police Inspector to constitute a board of inquiry into the cause of the incident of which the outcome will be communicated to the public. A few hours later, the Police Inspector was arrested and is now in Police custody.”
“This action of the Police Inspector is quite regrettable. This is because, since the assumption of office of the CP, the Police have never entered into a confrontation with the members of the public talk less firing gunshots.
Therefore, the Command is calling on members of the public to be assured that justice will be served in handling the situation, which is quite strange when compared with the cordial relationship between the Police and the Public,’’ the statement said.
Meanwhile, the NNPP, through its national chairman, Hon. Kawu Ali, in a statement, has condemned the killing of the young man during the protest.
“The NNPP has always asked the citizens to do their protest peacefully, and the protest around Kurna where Salisu Player was shot, though spontaneous, was not different, the statement said.
“It would appear that men of the Nigeria Police are ill-trained for handling even peaceful protests as we regret the recorded death, which is painful and unfortunate.”
It can be recalled that since the sack of Governor Yusuf by the Tribunal and subsequent confirmation of the sack by the court of appeal, there has been tension in Kano with occasional protests.
Earlier on Saturday, the Kano police command banned planned protests by the members of the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party and another by the members of the opposition All Progressive Congress.
