Yobe imposes curfew as hoodlums hijack #EndBadGovernance protest, burn seven buses

By Musa Baba Adamu

The development follows the hijack of the protests by hoodlums who cashed in on the hardship protest to loot government property.
The Yobe State government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Potiskum, Gashua and Nguru areas of the state.
The development follows the hijack of the protests by hoodlums who cashed in on the hardship protest to loot government property.
Announcing the government decision, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security matters, Brig. Gen Dahiru Abdussallam (retd), in a statement on Thursday said the curfew would be fully enforced.
“The Yobe State Government has considered the security situation in Potiskum, Gashua, and Nguru towns where some hoodlums are taking advantage of the protest to vandalize and loot government and private properties.”the statement read in part.
It further noted that in view of the development, it has imposed a twenty four curfew on listed areas in the state.
“In view of the above therefore, the state government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Potiskum, Gashua and Nguru. The public is hereby advised to abide by the curfew order and stay at home for peace to reign in these areas and the state at large.
“The Security Agencies have been directed to ensure enforcement and full compliance of the curfew order,” the statement read.
This development is even as Seven mass transit buses were burnt in Potiskum, the headquarters of Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State amid the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests.
The buses were set ablaze on the premises of the local government secretariat in Potiskum on Thursday.
It was noted that persons came in their numbers to cause mayhem but were quickly prevented by the security personnel.
The Spokesman for the Yobe State Polors would be brought to book.
Propagated on social media, the nationwide protests against economic hardship started on Thursday, August 1, 2024, and is scheduled to stretch till August 10 across all states of the Federation as well as the nation’s capital Abuja.
The new date was announced on Wednesday by the Chairman of the Commission, Dr. John Chen, during a meeting with members of the Benue State House of Assembly Standing Committee on Electoral Matters and Civil Society, led by its Chairman, Mr. Abu Umoru, at the Commission’s Headquarters in Makurdi.
Chen, represented by the Commission’s Secretary, Dr. Vincent Gisaor, explained that the change was necessitated by a recent Supreme Court ruling.
He stated, “The Commission is already partnering with relevant stakeholders to ensure the conduct of free, fair, and credible Local Government elections in the state.”
Chen also pointed out some challenges faced by the Commission, including a lack of funds and operational vehicles.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Standing Committee, Mr. Umoru, urged the Commission to organize the Local Government elections promptly, in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling that declared Caretaker Committees at that tier of government illegitimate.
Umoru stated the importance of meeting the deadline set by the apex court for elected Councils to be in place, warning that failure to do so would adversely affect Local Government administration in the state.
The Chairman also called for the unfreezing of the Commission’s accounts to enable the management to access funds necessary for immediate arrangements for the poll.“The only aspect of it is to legalise it so that people don’t have the impression that we are sitting at 11am while the rule says 10am”.