Nigeria protests: Police arrest more than 260 suspected looters

Police in the northern Nigerian state of Kano have arrested more than 260 people suspected of looting during protests against rising cost of living on Thursday.

Hundreds of people had taken to the streets in several cities across the West African country demanding action from the authorities to address the soaring cost of living largely blamed on President Bola Tinubu's economic policies including the removal of a long-standing fuel subsidy and devaluing the country's currency.

The protests turned violent with many young people seen breaking warehouses and shops looting food items and other valuables.

tealing in some places including Kano, where the authorities have imposed a 24-hour curfew.

''In a swift and efficient response to these criminal activities, a total of two hundred and sixty-nine (269) suspects responsible for destructions, looting, and instigating chaos under the guise of the nationwide protest were arrested,'' the police spokesperson in Kano state Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa said in a statement.

Suspected looted items were recovered from those arrested including ''many Jerricans of 25 Litres of Groundnut Oil, a large quantity of Stationeries, Foodstuffs, and other valuable properties,'' the police spokesperson said

The suspects, mainly young people, will be charged in court, the police said, adding ''more arrests and recoveries are in progress.''

The authorities urged residents to comply with the round-the-clock curfew imposed in the wake of riots.

''Whoever tries to cause violence, destruction, looting of people's and Government properties, and meddling of fake news to heat up the situation will be dealt with according to the law,'' Kiyawa added.

There were reports of several deaths of protesters when police responded to the demonstrations. The authorities have not commented on the casualties.

However, the Nigerian police said the ''rioters'' had killed one police officer in the northern state of Gombe while an explosive device killed at least four protesters and injured more than 30 others in neighbouring Borno state, the epicentre of an insurgency by Boko Haram.

The police force also said an explosive device was recovered unexploded in the southern city of Lagos, the country's commercial hub.