[dropcap]M[/dropcap]uslim Youths in Kusada town in Katsina State on March 28, 2020 burnt down a police station as well as several cars parked by the police force.
The Muslim youths rioted and committed arson because the police tried to enforce a government directive preventing social gatherings.
The police prevented them from gathering in the mosque on Friday in compliance with the state government’s directive to stop social gatherings in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertherless, a mosque leader still held Friday prayers and consequently was arrested by the police for questioning.
As a result the youths stormed the police station, overpowered the police officers, set the police station and DPO headquarters ablaze, and destroyed property. A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed on the town while the police claims to have made arrests in connection with the riots.
A press statement from the police:
“RECALL THAT KATSINA STATE GOVERNMENT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HIS EXCELLENCY, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KATSINA STATE, RT. HON. AMINU BELLO MASARI, CFR, FNIM, ISSUED A RESTRICTION ORDERS NOS. SEC.2/T/3 AND SEC.2/T/14 DATED 25TH AND 27TH MARCH, 2020 RESPECTIVELY, DIRECTING FOR THE TOTAL CLOSURE OF ITS BORDERS AND SUSPENSION OF LARGE GATHERINGS FOR THE WEEKLY FRIDAY PRAYERS AND SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES WHILE MARRIAGE CEREMONIES TO BE CONDUCTED IN A LOW KEY ACROSS THE STATE AS PART OF MEASURES TAKEN TO CURTAIL THE SPREAD OF THE CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC.
“HOWEVER, YESTERDAY 27/03/2020 SOME DISGRUNTLED YOUTHS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ONE MALLAM HASSAN TESTED THE WILL OF THE STATE
AND CONDUCTED A FRIDAY PRAYER IN ONE OF THE KUSADA JUMMAAT MOSQUES.
SUBSEQUENTLY, HE WAS ARRESTED FOR QUESTIONING AT AREA COMMANDER’S OFFICE, MALUMFASHI WHICH DID NOT GO DOWN WELL WITH SOME OF HIS FOLLOWERS.
“CONSEQUENTLY, TODAY 28/03/2020 AT ABOUT 09:00HRS, THIS PARTICULAR GROUP ORGANIZED THEMSELVES IN SUCH A TUMULTUOUS MANNER, RIOTING,
ATTACKED AND OVER POWERED THE POLICEMEN ON DUTY AT KUSADA DIVISION, SET ABLAZE THE POLICE STATION AND DPO’S QUARTERS.
THEY ALSO BURNT DOWN SEVEN MOTOR VEHICLES AND TEN MOTORCYCLES IN CUSTODY OF THE POLICE STATION.
THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, KATSINA STATE COMMAND, CP SANUSI BUBA, PSC ORDERED FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF POLICE PATROL TEAMS
AND A SPECIAL JOINT SECURITY TASK FORCE ON THE ENFORCEMENT OF PUBLIC GATHERING IN THE STATE LED BY DC OPERATIONS, TO THE AREA WHICH HAVE ALREADY RESTORED NORMALCY.
NINETY (90) SUSPECTED RIOTERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED WHILE ONE OF THE RIOTERS LOST HIS LIFE AS A RESULT OF THE ENCOUNTER.
INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.
SP GAMBO ISAH
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, (PPRO)
FOR:COMMISSIONER OF POLICE,
KATSINA STATE POLICE COMMAND
Hattip to The Nation
