In Kano, protesters looted and set fire to the newly constructed Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) Industrial Park, which was slated for commissioning next week.
The attack occurred amid a youth-led nationwide protest against economic hardship that erupted across Nigeria on Thursday.
The protests have also turned violent in other cities, including Lagos, Borno, Gombe, and Abuja, where police have deployed tear gas to disperse peaceful demonstrators.
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) center in Kano, intended to support a technical talent accelerator (3MTT) program, was raided by protesters who were seen carrying away desktop computers, chairs, keyboards, and other equipment before setting the facility ablaze.
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Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, expressed his dismay over the incident. “Sad to learn that our Digital Innovation Park in Kano, slated for launch next week, has been set ablaze and looted by protesters,” Tijani wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He added that the incident was “a slight setback for our journey to deepening our workforce for technology while creating job opportunities for the youth,” lamenting that “millions of Naira” had been lost.
Meanwhile, Kano State police thwarted an attempt by other youths to break into Sadaraki Stores, a two-storey grocery store on Zoo Road. The suspects had begun smashing windows before the police intervened.
Earlier in the week, Anas Adamu, representing a group of 13 civil society organizations under the Northern Chapter of the Nigeria Patriotic Front Movement (NPFM), warned protesters in Kano not to carry weapons, harass individuals, or loot property during the demonstrations.