The Kaduna State Police Command says it has detained 25 suspected hoodlums as a fallout of the nationwide protests that commenced on Thursday.
It vowed to be tougher on those who hijacked the protest, vandalised government, private and police assets on Thursday.
The command’s spokesperson, Mansir Hassan, stated this in a statement issued on Thursday in Kaduna.
Hassan, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said: “This followed the infamous sudden outbreak of violence that characterised the nationwide protests in Kaduna.
“The police have detained no fewer than 25 miscreants involved in violent conducts occasioned by mischief in the state.”
He explained that as earlier envisaged, the somewhat peaceful protest had been hijacked by hoodlums who took undue advantage of the so-called faceless sponsors and unleashed their planned mayhem on the state.
Hassan said the unruly miscreants attempted to gain access into the Kaduna State Government House before they were resisted by the security personnel.
He said they injured two policemen and broke the glasses of an Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed at the entrance of the Government House.
“They subsequently attacked the office and staff of the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Agency (KASTLEA) and torched the former along with adjoining other state government offices,” he added.
Hassan added that the 25 hoodlums were detained with exhibits indicating their violent tendencies.
He said: “These exhibits included scissors, jack knives and even live 7.62 X 39mm ammunition recovered from one Hassan Ibrahim of Rigasa area Kaduna.
“Similarly, one suspect was arrested dressed in a Police camouflage uniform for deception.”
Hassan said in spite of the advice of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to groups intending to protest to liaise with the Commissioners of Police of their states, they wished to protest, they did not do so.
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He added: “In order to fashion out modalities for a peaceful protest, no individual or group that has up till this very moment notified the Kaduna Police Command of its intention to protest in the state.
“In the absence of such a notice, it will be presumed that there’s none and any attempt to protest violently, those persons or groups will be termed miscreants and will be treated as such.”
Hassan said the Commissioner, Kaduna State Police Command, CP Audu Ali, called on all parents and guardians to restrain their wards from indulging in the disturbance of the public peace.
Hassan further said the command would not hesitate to treat such tendencies with the seriousness they deserve.
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