NCC Digital Industrial Park in Kano Vandalized During Nationwide Protests

NCC Digital Industrial Park in Kano Vandalized During Nationwide Protests

On Thursday, August 1st, 2024, Nigeria was engulfed in nationwide protests as youths rallied under the #EndBadGovernance movement, spurred by the rising cost of living and widespread economic challenges. Despite calls from the Federal Government, religious leaders, and state authorities for dialogue and restraint, large crowds took to the streets, initiating a planned 10-day demonstration.

The protests began peacefully in several cities, including Lagos, Oyo, and Rivers, with images of the gatherings flooding social media. However, the situation quickly escalated in other regions, particularly in Kaduna, Kano, and Jigawa, where tensions boiled over into violence and destruction.

One of the most devastating incidents occurred in Kano, where the newly established Digital Industrial Park (DIP) was ransacked and set ablaze by protesters. The facility, one of six such parks created by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) across the country, was intended to foster digital innovation and entrepreneurship in the North-West region. The destruction included the looting of advanced equipment worth millions of naira and the burning of the generator room.

The Kano DIP, which was on the verge of being commissioned, represented a significant investment in the future of the region’s youth, offering resources like Innovation Labs and Digital Fabrication Laboratories (Fablabs). The loss of this facility is a major setback for the region's aspiring digital entrepreneurs.

Reacting to the incident, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, expressed his sorrow over the vandalism. In a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, he lamented the destruction of the facility, which was set to launch alongside the 3MTT (Three Million Technical Talent) accelerator program and a buildathon holiday program for secondary school students. He assured the public that efforts would be made to renovate the park and restore its services.

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, also condemned the violence during his visit to the site, calling the incident a "sad day for the people of Kano." He urged the residents to prevent such actions from happening again and warned against allowing agents of destruction to hijack peaceful demonstrations.

The NCC, backed by the Ministry of Communications, is now tasked with assessing the damage, costing the necessary repairs, and restoring the park. The Kano State government, as the host of the facility, is expected to improve security measures to protect the DIP from future attacks. Furthermore, there is a growing recognition of the need to address the root causes of such violence, including the high levels of youth unemployment and the large number of out-of-school children in Kano and the broader North-West region.

The destruction of the Kano DIP is a stark reminder of the importance of protecting vital infrastructure, especially those that hold the potential to uplift and empower the nation’s youth. The road to recovery will require concerted efforts from both the NCC and the state government to ensure that the facility is not only restored but also better protected in the future.