Police arrest protest leader of ‘Gurasa’ bakers in Kano

The leader of the women protesters, Gurasa bakers, in Kano last week, Fatima Auwal has been arrested by the police.

Her arrest was effected by the Jakara Division of the Nigeria Police on Saturday.

Gurasa, is a stable food common in many parts of northern Nigeria produced with flour

SOLACEBASE had reported the protest of the Gurasa bakers in Kano on Thursday over the rising price of flour, a major component in the production of Gurasa.

It was gathered that her arrest was sequel to complaints received by the police by two women and a man claiming that she was not a member of their association, hence she does not have the right to make use of their name in the protest.

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Although SOLACEBASE can confirm that she was later released on bail in the evening after some intervention and asked to report back at the police station today, Sunday.

Speaking to SOLACEBASE on the issue, Fatima Auwal, said she was surprised to be quizzed by the police over her peaceful protest aimed at telling the government to look into the increasing price of flour, a major raw material in the production of Gurasa.

‘’Our protest was harmless as we conducted ourselves peacefully,’’ Fatima said.

‘’’The police said some women and a man complained that we used the name of their association during the protest which is not true.’’

‘’The people that lodged the complaints are the sellers while we are the producers or makers of Gurasa. So it baffles me that the business that many people know us with can be ascribed to us impersonating them.’’

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‘’Yes the police have asked me to report back at the station today after I was released on bail yesterday night.’’

Reacting to this development, Chairman, Jakara Junction Gurasa Bakers, Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Hadiyyatulahi Hamisu confirmed to SOLACEBASE that they are the complainants to the police over the use of their association’s name by the protesters.

Although Hamisu said the leader of the protest, Fatima Auwal is a baker of Gurasa also and a leader of a smaller group of bakers.

‘’She is a baker of Gurasa and leads a smaller group of bakers but was claiming to be the leader of the larger bakers group of the product which she is not.’’

‘’That was why we complained to the police.’’

‘’All we are demanding from her is for her to go back to the media and retract her statement.’’

Hadiyyatulahi who also confirmed the hike in the price of flour said is a normal economic challenge as the increase is not sudden.