Protesters who invaded and vandalised the Kano Digital Park stole about 150 desktop personal computers and laptops.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, disclosed during a Channels TV program on Friday, where he addressed the attack on the facility and the broader issues surrounding the protests.
The minister said the attack on the digital park, which occurred under the guise of the #EndBadGovernance protest on Thursday, represents a significant setback for the region’s digital infrastructure.
“The loss from this attack is substantial, potentially running into millions or even billions of Naira,” Dr. Tijani stated.
Despite this setback, he highlighted a positive development: a private company in Kano has shown interest in renovating the vandalized facility.
Dr. Tijani pointed out that the Digital Park was initiated under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari but was not completed.
“This property is one of the projects that the last administration actually worked on but didn’t deliver. A number of things were incomplete.
“It was only two months ago that the final set of equipment was installed, and we just agreed two weeks ago to launch the facility next week,” he explained.
When asked to estimate the value of the vandalized facility and the looted equipment, Dr. Tijani noted, “It will be millions if not billions, because it’s a lovely building.
“Apart from the building, we had between 120 to 150 computers, both PCs and laptops in there.”
He added that the generator and power backup systems were the last components awaiting installation before the facility could be fully operational.
“That was the last thing we asked the contractor to supply, and we were meant to go in and put it to good use, but this is part of what you get with protests,” he said.
Responding to social media critics questioning why such a facility was located in Kano, Dr Tijani dismissed the insinuations that the state does not need digital skills.
“There are many young people in Kano eager to acquire digital skills,” he emphasized.
According to him, Kano has the highest number of applicants for the ongoing 3 Million Technical Training (3MTT) program.
“I’ve seen people make ridiculous comments like why would you put a centre like that in Kano as if the young people in Kano don’t have the rights to dream, as if they don’t have the rights to be part of the digital economy,” he said.
Despite the damage, Dr. Tijani assured that the vandalism would not impede future plans for the Kano ICT Park.
“We are already getting support to make sure the park is renovated for your use,” he confirmed.
The country has seen a significant rise in inflation, with rates hitting 34%, and the cost of essential goods skyrocketing.
While some of President Tinubu’s policies, such as the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of the foreign exchange rate, have been praised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), they have yet to yield positive results for the majority of the population.
The #EndBadGovernance protests, which began on August 1, have been driven by widespread discontent over economic hardship and government policies.
The demonstrations have seen thousands take to the streets, demanding government action to address the high cost of living and other socio-economic issues.
Several incidents of violence, including deaths and looting, have marred the protests, exacerbating the already tense situation and leading to calls for the protests to end.
In Borno State, four persons were killed and curfews were declared in some states in the North.
The South East and South West have largely witnessed peaceful rallies.
Dr Tijani’s commitment to restoring the Kano Digital Park reflects the government’s broader strategy to mitigate the impact of the protests and address the underlying issues.
He took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the aftermath of the attack, sharing a video of a recent #3MTT Hackathon held in Kano and reaffirming his dedication to supporting the region’s tech talent.
“To our @3MTTNigeria community and all the amazing young talent in Kano, your dreams are valid! We are already getting support to make sure the park is renovated for your use,” he wrote.
