Lagos, Nigeria 

At least 17 people have died as the government imposed curfews in five states due to protests over financial hardships that have turned violent in Nigeria. 

Casualties were reported in Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna, and Jigawa during what have transformed into #EndBadGovernance protests, held across the nation since Thursday.

According to Punch Newspaper, 17 people have been killed in two days.

Police officials did not respond to calls from Anadolu.

Authorities in Borno, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Zamfara states declared 24-hour long curfew to thwart the anti-government demonstrations.

Nigerian Police spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi said: “No policeman fired live ammunition at peaceful protesters but tear-gassed unruly hoodlums who took over the streets to wreak havoc.”

The police have arrested over 300 suspects in Kano, Nasarawa and Katsina, Kaduna and Abuja during the first day of the protest.

Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, said the police may lean on other security agencies — including the military — if the nationwide protest against hunger escalates.

Human rights group Amnesty confirmed 13 deaths, with six in Suleja Niger state, four in Maiduguri and three in Kaduna.

“Our findings, so far, show that security personnel at the locations where lives were lost deliberately used tactics designed to kill while dealing with gatherings of people protesting hunger and deep poverty,” the group said on X. “Nigerian security agencies’ unlawful attitude of using firearms as tactical tool for the management of protests must end.”