A protest against bad governance turned violent in Kaduna on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of three youths and injuries to several others.
According to Vanguard, eyewitnesses reported that the protesters, primarily composed of youths and the unemployed, outnumbered the security operatives as they marched from the Rigasa area and the Abakwa end towards the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, the official residence and office of the state governor.
One protester, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the events: “We were marching peacefully, and no one was carrying any offensive weapon. I think the security operatives near the Government House were threatened by our large number. Suddenly, a vehicle used for spraying hot water on protesters came speeding towards us from the Government House axis and sprayed us with hot water. Then, another security vehicle came speeding from the 44 Reference Hospital end.”
In the ensuing confusion, as protesters scrambled to avoid being hit by the security vehicles, three peaceful demonstrators were struck and killed. “No one carried any weapon,” the protester emphasized. “We were just carrying placards and chanting slogans against bad governance.”
The protest, which initially began as a peaceful demonstration, escalated into chaos, highlighting the tensions between the citizens and security forces over the state of governance in the region.
