Suspect die in detention in Rano Kano sparks violent protest police properties burnt
A peaceful morning in Rano, Kano State, turned to chaos on Monday as enraged youths stormed the local police station, setting parts of the facility ablaze following the controversial death of 24-year-old Abdullahi Musa during police interrogation. The incident has ignited fresh tensions over alleged police brutality and accountability in Northern Nigeria.
Musa, arrested Sunday for a reported traffic violation, died under unclear circumstances while in custody, triggering an immediate outcry from residents. By dawn, a crowd of protesters gathered outside the Rano Divisional Police Station, demanding justice. The demonstration spiraled into violence as youths vandalized the station and torched parked vehicles, with thick plumes of smoke engulfing the area.
Eyewitnesses claim the situation worsened when officers opened fire on the crowd, injuring two protesters. “They took Musa alive and returned him dead. Now they’re shooting at us for demanding answers,” shouted one demonstrator, reflecting the community’s fury.
Kano State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna, confirmed the attack to Punch stating, “Protesters destroyed a section of the police station.” He acknowledged the death of Musa but did not clarify the cause, citing an ongoing investigation.
In a bid to quell tensions, Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, and Rano Local Government Chairman, Mallam Mohammed Naziru Ya’u, conducted an emergency assessment of the damaged station. Haruna emphasized, “The Commissioner and Chairman are committed to resolving this tragedy transparently and preventing further unrest.”
The incident has reignited debates over police conduct in Nigeria, with locals calling for independent probes into custodial deaths. As Rano smolders, questions linger: Will this tragedy catalyze systemic reform, or fade into Nigeria’s long history of unresolved police controversies?
