Economic activities were paralysed in Kano this morning as Igbo traders protesting the killing of their kinsman refused to open their shops.
The traders staged mass protest and organised a mass prayer to expressed their displeasure over killing of Augustine Tochukwu Ilo ,a patent drug dealer who was killed last week by Special Anti-Robbery Squad,SARS,
The Igbo traders said they are demanding for justice, adding that Igbo people were being killed and the perpetrators were not being apprehended and asking “what is our offence ,or are we not Nigerians?”
As early as 6 a m on Wednesday, all shops belonging to Igbo communities across the 44 local government areas of the state were closed down, while the traders assembled at Runfa primary school,where they first staged a peaceful demonstration, before they went for prayer
While speaking with pressmen, the chairman, Igbo Traders Association, ITA, Emmanuel Amadi, said it was pathetic and sad that innocent Igbo people are now targets of killers, a situation that must be stopped.
According to him, “we are here to pay our solidarity to an Igbo woman who was killed at Kofa Wambe over alleged blasphemy, just as we are still mourning over this sad event, the police went again to kill Augustine for no just reason.”
Amadi noted that it was painful that the innocent wife of late Augustine has been made a widow due to untimely death of her husband, and his two children have become fatherless.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as ”stop this annihilation of Ndigbo”, “Life is sacred, stop wasting the lives of Ndigbo” and “stop the targeted elimination of Igbo people”, among others.
Augustine’s widow, Ebere, who also spoke with journalists, urged the pressmen to ask the police the offence of her late husband.
Ebere further stated ”you can see my daughters are young, but so unfortunate ,they have lost their father at a tender age, when they are supposed to be enjoying fatherly care.”
The program was rounded off with prayer from different pastors that God should reveal the killers.