Katsina State Government Imposes 24-Hour Curfew in Dutsinma Amid Nationwide Protests

A 24-hour curfew has been imposed in the Dutsinma Local Government Area by the Katsina State Government in response to a breakdown in law and order amidst continuing nationwide protests.

The State Government's Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba-Faskari, made this announcement in a statement that was made public on Thursday. The proclamation, which was issued by the state government's director of media, Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu-Yar'adua, also forbade odd gatherings and protests of any kind across the whole state.

This decision was taken by the government during an urgent meeting of the State Security Council, which is currently being led by Malam Faruq Jobe in an acting capacity. The discussion covered reports of growing unrest in some state regions associated with the national protests.

"Earlier, the acting governor received a group of Civil Society Organizations who were conducting a peaceful demonstration at the Government House and assured them that their messages would be conveyed to the appropriate authorities," Garba-Faskari stated.

He added, "However, reports later indicated that some miscreants had hijacked the protest, turning it into a platform for shopbreaking, looting, and vandalizing public and private properties. Therefore, the government found it necessary to impose these measures to safeguard people’s lives and properties."

Security services have been instructed to arrest any individuals or groups who disobey these commands, thus the public is asked to maintain their composure and adherence to the law. The citizens have been urged by the acting governor to carry out their lawful pursuits during the times allotted for unrestricted mobility.

In a related development, the curfew is now being enforced by the Katsina State Police Command. The police spokeswoman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, denied reports that protestors had been shot by police, leading to fatalities.

"We wish to dismiss the misinformation that police personnel shot live ammo at protesters, resulting in loss of lives. We assure the members of the public that our officers exercised the maximum level of restraint and professionalism in handling the violent protesters. There is no record of any fatalities resulting from police actions as of the time of these reports," Sadiq-Aliyu clarified.

In order to ensure the community's general safety, the Katsina State Government and the police stress their dedication to upholding peace and order and implore residents to comply with the enforced measures.