*Salma Dogo, Kano State Commissioner of Police, discloses the rioting #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters set ablaze the generator house, vandalised the office complex, and looted several equipment and other property at the newly-completed Digital Industrial Park of the Nigerian Communications Commission

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

The country鈥檚 ongoing efforts at advancing the digital economy ecosystem again, have suffered an untold setback, as rampaging #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters turned violent Thursday, August 1, 2024, and torched a section of the completed but yet-to-be-commissioned Digital Industrial Park (DIP) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), located in Kano State, Northern Nigeria.

Salma Dogo, Kano State Commissioner of Police, in a telephone interview Thursday disclosed that the protesters set ablaze the generator house, vandalised the DIP office complex, and looted several digital equipment and other property, agency report said.

绿帽献妻 also learnt that the protest, which started as 鈥渁 peaceful demonstration鈥� against the current economic hardship in Nigeria, is fast taking violent turn in several cities across the country.

Besides the NCC鈥檚 ICT Centre, the civil unrest also extended to parts of the Audu Bako Secretariat, including the state high courts, which the protesters looted and set on fire.

The rioting youths equally attacked other establishments, such as supermarkets and mosques in Kano City.

In many areas, protesters have also clashed with security forces, leading to casualties and widespread damage to public and private property as of Thursday, August 1.

Narrating the scenario at the DIP facility Thursday, in Kano, eye-witnesses described scenes at the ICT centre as 鈥渃haotic鈥�, as where protesters were seen carting away desktop computers, chairs, keyboards, and other valuable appliances before setting the Park on fire, report noted.

Police have taken measures to safeguard lives and property: Kano Police Commissioner

Kano Commissioner of Police Dogo, however, said Police officers, along with other security agencies, had already taken measures to safeguard the lives and property of the residents of the state, report said.

It was learnt the multimillion Naira digital economy centre, which the NCC had provided to serve the entire Northwestern region of the country, was scheduled for official commissioning on Wednesday, August 7 this year.

The DIP centre, which is one of six facilities located in each of the country鈥檚 geo-political zones, with this particular one serving the northwest region, is an initiative of the telecoms sector regulatory Commission, designed to promote the Federal Government鈥檚 digital economy drive by training young Nigerians in digital entrepreneurship to create wealth and add value to the country鈥檚 economy.

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