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The Divisional Police Office of Tudun Wada, Zaria is presently imposing restriction of business activities beginning from 10 o’clock in the night.
Residents of Tudun Wada and Tudun Jukun areas of the city made this known to our correspondent on Sunday, saying that the police usually storm these areas in the early hours of the night and pick owners of kiosks and other traders.
Relatives of those arrested Saturday night said the traders were picked by the police at about 10:30 and 11pm.
Those arrested and presently in police custody in Tudun Jukun area include Salisu Mai Balangu and his boy Bello, Malam Umar Mai MTN, Salisu Mai Shago alias No Case and his boy Jamilu and Awwal Mai Tsire.
One of the traders that escaped arrest said; “I was about to close my shop at about 11pm when the police accosted me. I asked why they were arresting me, but they did not proffer any reason. I then begged them, telling them that I have closed my shop already. That was how I escaped.”
Malam Yunus Tahir, a community leader in Tudun Jukun who is Deputy Chairman of the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’iqamatis Sunna (JIBWIS), Zaria local government described the police incessant arrest of traders as an act of injustice.
“What usually surprises us is the fact that the police would come and arrest our people early in the night, but later in the night thieves would follow and terrorise our people. Instead of arresting innocent traders early in the night, why don’t they wait till late in the night to come and stop thieves and other criminals from having a free hand?
We are calling on the relevant authorities to save us from this DPO,” Tahir said.
Kaduna state police command’s public relations officer neither reply calls to his phone nor respond to text message sent to him.
However, the spokesperson of the Kaduna state governor, Samuel Aruwan, said the state security council did not impose curfew or restriction of movement in any part of Zaria.
Daily Trust