Tensions are escalating in Kano following the sudden disappearance of Comrade Abdulmajid Yakubu Daudu and four members of the National People’s Front Movement (NPFM) after a police invitation Monday afternoon. The leaders were last seen leaving their office around 2:30 p.m. to attend a scheduled meeting with the Kano State Commissioner of Police at the Bompai Headquarters.
By 7:42 p.m., Comrade Abdulmajid and his colleagues had not returned, raising concerns about their safety. Attempts to contact them have been unsuccessful, and their whereabouts remain unknown. Family members, colleagues, and supporters have expressed growing alarm as all efforts to locate them have so far proved abortive.
The timing of the incident is particularly concerning, as it follows a press conference held by Abdulmajid and his colleagues on Sunday, September 29, 2024. During the conference, the NPFM leaders announced the commencement of a nationwide protest, dubbed National Survival Day, scheduled for October 1, 2024. The protest was organized to voice grievances over the skyrocketing cost of living and what the group described as “endemic bad governance” in Nigeria.
Among the key demands presented by Comrade Abdulmajid were:
The reduction of fuel pump prices, which the group claims are being overpriced.
A halt to food inflation, which has worsened the economic plight of ordinary Nigerians.
An end to excessive government expenditure at the highest levels of leadership.
The fight against grand corruption and persistent insecurity.
A call for the re-nationalization of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC) and electricity distribution companies (DISCOs), returning these critical sectors to government control.
In light of Abdulmajid’s disappearance, NPFM has issued a public appeal, urging comrades across the country to raise the alarm and demand the safe return of their leader and fellow activists. In a statement, the group emphasized the seriousness of the situation, particularly in light of the current climate of political repression.
No one in their right mind can take the unduly long disappearance of Comrade Abdulmajid and his NPFM colleagues lightly,” read the NPFM’s statement. “The growing state of political repression in the country makes this call for the Kano State Commissioner of Police to produce Comrade Abdulmajid and his colleagues more urgent.”
Activists and civil society organizations have also begun expressing concern over the incident, fearing it may be part of a broader crackdown on political dissent ahead of the October 1 protests. As of now, the Kano State Police Command has yet to issue any official statement regarding the whereabouts of the NPFM leaders.
Calls for immediate clarification and accountability have been mounting, with growing demands for the safe return of Comrade Abdulmajid and his colleagues. The situation continues to develop, and the absence of any communication from the missing activists or the police has left many in Kano and beyond on edge.
The upcoming protests, now underscored by the mysterious disappearance of NPFM leaders, appear to be heading into uncertain and volatile territory.
