The 24-hour restriction of movement which security agents and government officials placed on Kagara, headquarters of Rafi Local Council of Niger State, has been relaxed. It now holds between 10am to 4pm daily. Officials said the decision was taken to alleviate the hardship faced by residents following the movement restriction.
Residents lamented that since the authorities announced total lockdown in the town, inhabitants had been thrown into frustration,as many households ran out of foodstuffs and cash.
they expressed worry that, beside subjecting them to frustration, many have also been denied freedom to social and economic activities.
Suleiman Mohammed, a resident of Kagara, revealed that the news of the 24-hour curfew came to as a rude shock. He stated that majority of the people had invested their money in purchasing farm produce preparatory to Tuesday February 8, 2022 weekly market, when the curfew was suddenly announced. Mohammed described the situation as ”difficult.”
Zaliya Ahmadu, a house wife, told Prime Business Africa that her husband relied on daily hustle to survive with his family; ”but since the curfew was declared, we have resorted to unplanned fasting. ”Our grown-up children, my husband and I only manage to take lunch and fast till the following day.” Mrs Ahmadu called on the authorities to come to their aid by providing them with basic needs.
She said that children have also abandoned school for fear of being attacked by bandits.
Another resident, Musa Habibu, said that ‘well-to-do’ individual’s in the area that could have supported the less privileged had also fled the community to urban centres.
Musa commended proactive security agents and urged federal and state governments to support the military and other security agencies with adequate logistics to enable them tackle the menace of banditry and terrorism in the area.
Efforts to speak with the local government Chairman failed, as several calls and SMS sent to his mobile phone did not elicit any response.
