TheCable

At least 19 of the 36 states in Nigeria have imposed curfews following outbreak of violence and widespread looting across the country.

Suspected hoodlums had hijacked the #EndSARS protest in several states, taking advantage of the situation to wreak havoc on government and private properties.

Residents of some states also broke into warehouses, carting away COVID-19 palliatives.

Edo state was the first state to impose a 24-hour curfew on October 19 after jailbreaks at two correctional facilities in the state. On Thursday, Godwin Obaseki, the state governor, relaxed the curfew to last from 4pm to 6am daily, effective October 23, adding that it would be reviewed after 72 hours.

Lagos joined on October 20, with Babajide-Sanwo-Olu, the state governor, also imposing an all-day restriction owing to the outbreak of violence amid the #EndSARS protests. The governor relaxed the curfew on Friday and said it would be reviewed on Monday.

Ekiti became the third state to declare a 24-hour curfew on October 20. Biodun Oyebanji, the secretary to the state government, said the #EndSARS protest, which started peacefully, had been hijacked by some hoodlums who capitalised on the protest to “to rape, assault, rob and extort innocent citizens across the state”.

Abia was next on the list, with a curfew declared on parts of the state. Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia, in a broadcast on Wednesday, also announced cash reward for persons with information about those who carted away arms and ammunition during an attack on policemen in Aba. However, the curfew was eased on Sunday, and movement in the state is allowed from 8am to 5pm for now.

In Imo, the 24-hour curfew announced on Wednesday was eased on Saturday. Movement is now restricted from 6pm to 6am.

On Thursday, Delta declared a 48-hour curfew after attacks on the correctional centre in Warri, the high court complex in Asaba, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) office in Asaba, among others. However, Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor, reviewed the movement restriction to 6pm to 8am from Saturday.

Simon Lalong, governor of Plateau, declared a curfew in Jos south and Jos north local government areas of the state on October 21 following the death of three people during the #EndSARS protest. On Friday, Lalong relaxed the curfew. He, however, extended it to 24 hours again the following day after the looting of COVID-19 palliatives.

Nyesom Wike of Rivers declared a 24-hour curfew in some parts of the state on October 21 after attacks on police stations, court buildings, and market areas.

Anambra state government declared a curfew in the state on October 22 following outbreak of violence during the #EndSARS protest. Willie Obiano, the state governor, said he took the decision to forestall further breakdown of law and order after suspected hoodlums razed the Nnewi central police station the previous day.

A 24-hour curfew was also declared in Cross River on Friday after some residents vandalised a warehouse in the state and looted some COVID-19 relief materials.

In Kwara, the all-day curfew took effect on Friday night. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the state governor, announced the development after several persons were feared dead when security operatives opened fire on a warehouse containing COVID-19 palliatives in Ilorin, the state capital.

The Osun state government banned movement on Saturday, 24 hours after a previous curfew was lifted. According to Gboyega Oyetola, the decision was taken after a meeting with security chiefs in the state, as part of efforts to curb the spread of violence.

Enugu also imposed a 24-hour curfew on Saturday after a mob destroyed government properties and vandalised automated teller machines (ATM) in the state. On Sunday, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the governor, reviewed the restriction to last from 6pm to 7am.

Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, announced the extension of the 24-hour curfew to all 23 local government areas in the state on Saturday after initially limiting it to two LGAs.

Ondo had also declared curfew but lifted it after recording improvement in calm and order.

Akwa Ibom announced an extension of the curfew, which was initially scheduled to end on Friday, till 7am on Saturday over “violent manifestations of some persons masquerading as #EndSARS protesters”. However, although the government affirmed that peace had returned to the state, another extension was announced on Sunday, which will last till further notice. The state said the decision became necessary in order “to sustain the gains of the curfew”.

In Ebonyi, a 24-hour curfew imposed on Wednesday was relaxed on Friday, while in Taraba, the government declared restriction of movement in Jalingo.

As of the time of filing this report, Adamawa state was the last to declare movement restriction. Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa, declared a 24-hour curfew following the looting of a warehouse containing COVID-19 palliatives earlier on Sunday.