The Niger State Police Command has arrested Aisha Jibrin, a 30-year-old woman who led women and youths in a mass protest on Monday in Minna, the state capital, decrying the high cost of living.
News About Nigeria gathered that Aisha was detained alongside two other women, 57-year-old Fatima Aliyu and 43-year-old Fatima Isyaku, as well as 22 others involved in the protest.
The demonstration, which began with a group of women led by Aisha blocking Minna-Bida Road at the popular Kpakungu Roundabout, escalated as more women, men, and youths joined the protest, obstructing vehicular movement.
The protesters decried the economic challenges and rising living costs under what they referred to as the Bola Tinubu government.
Despite police intervention, the protesters refused to back down, alleging that the police were acting as agents of the government.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Niger State Police Command claimed that the protesters turned violent, attacking law enforcement officers with weapons such as stones, bottles, sticks, and cutlasses, and damaging police patrol vehicles and infrastructure at the Kpakungu Division.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Wasiu, said that the force used minimum force to disperse the protesters.
The statement said that the police arrested Aisha Jibrin, Fatima Aliyu, Fatima Isyaku, and 22 others, recovering weapons such as a bench, sticks used as barricades, knives, scissors, cutlasses, saw blades, an iron pipe, sticks, wraps of Indian hemp, and charms.
During interrogation, Aisha claimed ignorance about the illegality of her actions, claiming that she had informed a local youth leader named Hassan, who allegedly promised to inform the police but failed to do so.
The suspects have been taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further investigation and will face prosecution.
The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, Shawulu Danmamman, urged residents and the public to remain law-abiding, discouraging self-help approaches and advising them to seek appropriate authorities to address their concerns.
