Police tear-gas protesters trying to gain access into Gombe, Bauchi Govt House

The Police on Thursday fired tear gas to disperse protesters attempting to gain entry into the Government House, Gombe.

The police also dispersed dozens of protesters who were moving towards Government House, Bauchi.

A correspondent, who monitored the situation in Gombe, reports that the protesters attempted force entry into the government house, a situation which compelled the police to fired tear gas canisters at them.

The protesters were holding placards and chanting slogan in Hausa Language saying: “Ba ma yi”,  meaning “we are not interested,” and Bring back fuel subsidy.”

The protesting youth also destroyed billboards and burnt tyres at the gate of the Government House.

Earlier, police personnel and other security agencies were seen pleading with the protesters to be calm.

However, policemen were forced to fire tear gas as the youths became more aggressive.

Similarly; the police also fired tear at the aggressive protesters moving towards the Government House, Bauchi, along Bank Road in the metropolis.

The security personnel included the Nigerian Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and vigilantes.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Auwal Mohammed, had earlier interacted with the protesters at a protest meeting point along Yelwa Road in Bauchi metropolis.

The commissioner also visited other strategic locations mounted by security personnel along Benco junction, House on the Rock junction, and Yelwa Kagadama junction.

It was observed that banks and other businesses were shut in the metropolis.

However, businesses and other activities were moving smoothly in Dutse, Jigawa, in spite of the nationwide protest embarked by some Nigerians.

Transportation services and business activities are being conducted as usual, with few number of shops closed, while security personnel had been deployed to public and other strategic locations.

Dozens of women were also seen trooping to the Man Power Development Institute, to enable them to participate in the World Breastfeeding Week celebration.

A cross section of the residents, who spoke with NAN, commended the deployment of security personnel, adding that it enabled them to continue with their businesses.

A trader at the Dutse New Market, Mr Sa’idu Babale, expressed satisfaction with the situation, saying that those who want to protest should be peaceful and allow businesses to move freely.

Also Abdulkadir Usman, a Point-of-Sale (POS) operator, said he has carried on with his business in spite of the ongoing strike.

“Duttse is a peaceful town where no one wants unrest. I’m sure that the protesters will be orderly, no need of panic,” he said.

Protest: Shop owners, vigilantes guard markets in Gombe

Shop owners and traders in major markets in Gombe metropolis have joined hired vigilantes and hunters in securing their shops against vandals.

Traders, vigilantes and hunters barricaded major entries and exit points at the markets.

Some of the barricaded places included Gombe Main market, Gombe Local Government shopping centre and the Old Market, close to Gombe roundabout.

Major shops in the metropolis also had the presence of hunters and vigilantes carrying locally-made guns and preventing hoodlums from gaining access into the shops.

While some personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were stationed at the Gombe Main market, other security agencies were observed patrolling the markets, bank areas and other flash points in the metropolis.

This followed the looting of the office of the Gombe State Bureau of Public Service Reforms located close to Gombe Government house by some hoodlums, who also made attempts to set the office on fire.

Some valuables looted from the building included television set, chairs, tables, burglary, the roofing sheets and some bags of fertilisers kept inside the building.

Malam Umar Hamisu, a shop owner at the Gombe Main market, said they had to contribute money to engage the services of vigilantes and hunters to complement efforts of conventional security agencies towards protecting their investments.

Hamisu said that they foresaw a situation whereby security personnels would have more tasks because of the protest, hence the need to protect their shops.

“Our life investments are here and we cannot allow hoodlums to cart away our goods in the name of protest.

“That was why we came out to join the security personnel and vigilantes and hunters to protect our shops,” he said.

He urged the youths to resist the temptation of looting shops as that could impoverish shop owners and defeat the essence of the protest.

Another shop owner who spoke on the condition of anonymity said he contributed N100, 000 for the engagement of vigilantes and hunters to guard their plaza at Jekadafari throughout the period of the protests.

He appealed to the youths to embrace peace and dialogue, adding that violence would not benefit anyone in the State.