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From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The 24 hour curfew imposed on Kano State by Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf, in the wake of the violence that marked the #Endbadgovernance protest in the state has started to take its tolls on the residents.
This is coming as the Yoruba community in Kano State appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the nation, suggesting that the broadcast should acknowledge the grievances of the protesters and outline tangible steps to address their concerns
Our correspondent reports that the worst by the curfew were daily income earners who had been unable to eke out money to run their families, compared to salary earners who had just received their monthly salaries through digital transfers.
The residents in this category included the market traders, commercial transporters, food sellers, causal workers in factories, roadside vendors of various sorts.
John Okafor, who resides in Jaba area in Umgogo Local Government Area of the state told Sunday Sun that things had been difficult about this time.
He appealed to the state governor to create a window period for residents to move quickly to the market and buy their needs, adding that he did not support an outright relaxation of the curfew until the security situation was brought under control.
Meanwhile, a statement issued on Saturday by the Oba of Yoruba in Kano State, Oba Murtala Alimi Otosese, implored President Tinubu to directly engage the leaders of the protests as a way to dousing the present tension in the land.
The statement expressed worry over the fact that communication from various government agents and functionaries had been disjointed, thereby exacerbating the agitations of the protesters.
“A unified and coherent response from the government is essential in restoring calm and trust,” the statement read.
The statement, however, acknowledged that Nigerians were currently going through a difficult and trying time.
It stressed that the galloping inflation both in headline and food items, alongside the low purchasing power of the citizens, the devaluation of the naira, coupled with the removal of the subsidy on fuel, had exacerbated the economic hardship faced by many Nigerians.
While noting the fundamental right of Nigerians to express their dissatisfaction and seek redress, it however emphasised that violent protests are not the ultimate solution to the woes.
The statement appealed to Nigerian youths to suspend the on-going protests as their protests were at risk of being infiltrated by hoodlums and looters, a situation which would only lead to more destruction and loss of lives and properties.
“It is time to transit from the streets to the negotiating table,” it stated.
