Protesters on Monday took to the streets of Kano in defiance to the ban on demonstrations by the police.
The state commissioner of police, Mohammed Usain Gumel, had banned protests after members of the ruling New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) asked their members to pour on the streets over alleged bribery of the judiciary.
The commissioner said any attempt to disrespect the ban would be treated as an offence against National Security.
He said, “Members of the public should therefore note that it has come to our knowledge that both the APC and the NNPP members are currently mobilizing rented crowd in the guise of Civil Society Coalition and without clearance from the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and without prior approval from the security agencies in the state.
“Both organizers as well as the umbrella body should note that any attempt to disrespect NLC and the Security Agencies in the state, by playing around the fragile security situation, which the combined security agencies have been managing, is not only uncivil, criminal but also an offense against National Security.”
But shortly after the order, the protesters converged on the streets and headed for the Government House.
The President, Kano Civil Society Forum (KCSF), Ibrahim Waiya, led the protest to the Government House.