Crime & SecurityNewsNigeriaPolice arrest woman leader of protest against Tinubu’s reforms in Minna

The Nigerian police have said that the women who led Monday’s protest in Minna, Niger State are in police custody and will be prosecuted in the coming days.

Recall that hundreds of Minna residents took to the streets on Monday to protest the rising inflation that has exacerbated the cost of living crisis in Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu.

Wasiu Abiodun, police spokesman in Niger State, confirmed the arrest of 30-year-old Aisha Jibrin, the leader of the protest, on Wednesday.

Jibrin was arrested alongside Fatima Aliyu, 57 years old, Fatima Isyaku, 43 years old, and “22 other miscreants.”

Abiodun said Jibrin mobilized “over 100 women and miscreants to block the highway for a violent protest.”

The police statement read: “It could be recalled that on 5/2/2024 at about 0700hrs, a large number of women and miscreants mobilised themselves and blocked Minna-Bida road and Kpakungu Roundabout claiming to be protesting against increase in foodstuff prices, causing major obstruction on the highway and deprived motorists, travellers and other road users from gaining access to attend to their lawful businesses.”

“The Command immediately drafted Police patrol teams led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations DCP Shehu Umar Didango to the scene, and after much persuasion by the Police, the protesters deliberately refused to clear the road for public use, while His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Niger State Com. Yakubu Garba equally availed himself at the scene and addressed the group, yet they turned deaf ears and chose to be violent.”

“However, the Police adopted minimum force to disperse the protesters who turned violent by attacking the Police with dangerous weapons such as stones, bottles, sticks, cutlasses and damaged Police patrol vehicles and parts of the Kpakungu Division roof.”

According to the statement, Jibrin, during interrogation, said she was not aware that her action was illegal.

The other 22 “miscreants”, said Abiodun, were arrested with dangerous weapons including “a bench and a stick used as barricade, three knives, one scissors, one cutlass, one saw blade, one iron pipe, four other sticks, two wraps of Indian hemp, charms, etc.”

“All suspects were taken to SCID Minna for investigation and they will be charged to court for prosecution, as effort is ongoing to arrest other identified members of the violent protest,” the statement added.