After a clash between the police and traders, no fewer than six youths were feared dead yesterday in Kaduna State .
Traders at the Sabon Garri-Trikania market had trooped out for business activities when they could no longer bear the brunt of the stay-at-home order by government.
But to enforce the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown order, armed policemen were said to have opened fire to disperse them. Before the pandemonium died down, six of the youths reportedly lost their lives.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mohammad Jalige, said the state command got report of the fracas, but was expecting the report of the DPO in the area.
An eye witness said the bloody clash that started around 3 p.m. saw the traders at the Sabon Garri-Trikania market, in Chukun Council, defying the lockdown order by the government to attend to desperate buyers of foodstuff.
The witness, who gave his name as Nasir Marina, said, “The civilian joint task force came to the market to disperse the traders, but they did not comply. When the traders did not obey their directives, they went and brought armed policemen to enforce the lockdown.
“There was confusion because several of the youths in the area came out and the police started shooting. As a result, six of the youths were killed.”
Jalige said “At this point, I cannot comment on the issue until we receive full details of the incident from the DPO in that area.”
