Amid escalating violence on the first day of nationwide protests, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has announced the imposition of a 24-hour curfew.
In a state broadcast, the governor expressed regret over the unfolding situation in the state.
However, a brief exception was made to relax the curfew for two and a half hours on Friday to allow worshippers to attend the Juma’a prayer at mosques.
“In order to restore peace and stability, we have enacted a 24-hour curfew,” Governor Namadi stated.
“Specifically on Friday, the curfew will be relaxed from noon to 2:30 p.m. to accommodate Friday prayers,” the governor added.
He condemned the shift from peaceful demonstrations to violent acts of destruction and looting, stressing that such behavior goes against the cultural norms of the region and will not be tolerated.
“Collaborating with security forces, we will closely monitor the situation and take necessary measures to protect lives and property from troublemakers and criminals throughout the state,” Namadi emphasized.
NAN