Beggars and Commercial sex workers in Kano have appealed to organisers of the nationwide hunger protests to engage the Federal Government in dialogue.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday that the protests had crippled social-economic activities, leaving them without customers and struggling to survive.
Monica James, who operates on France Road, said that dialogue was the only option to address the grievances of the protesters.
“I have not eaten for two days because of the curfew; our customers are nowhere to be found,” she said.
She urged the organisers to shelve their protests and negotiate with the government to end the demonstrations.
Deborah Iliya, a sex worker on Yoruba Road, who echoed James’ sentiments, described the situation as horrible, as she has not been able to find customers.
Hannatu Ibrahim of Weather head area, also called for an end to the protests, joining the growing calls for a return to normalcy. Caroline James, a sex worker operating from a brothel on Enugu Street in Sabon Gari, said that the infiltration of hoodlums and subsequent violence “spoilt our business.”
She said that she had booked clients who were willing to pay between ₦30,000 and ₦40,000, but they were unable to keep their appointments due to the tension and curfew. A sex worker, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that some of her colleagues were forced to share rooms due to the lack of customers during the protest.
She appealed to the authorities to relax the curfew, stating that it had severely impacted their ability to conduct business.
Moses John, a bar attendant, told NAN that the curfew had severely impacted business activities in Sabon Gari, with hotels and bars hardly selling due to the absence of customers.
Kenneth John, a dealer in Esi Ewu (goat head) on Aitken Road, told NAN that the curfew had negatively impacted business activities in Sabon Gari, lamenting that he had lost several heads of goats due to lack of power supply.
This is even as some street beggars in Kano have appealed to the organisers of the ongoing nationwide protests to sheath their swords in the interest of humanity.
Baba Haliru, a 70-year-old beggar from Rigiyar Zaki, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that survival has become extremely challenging due to the protests.
Haliru explained that many beggars relied on daily earnings to feed their families but the protests have prevented them from getting alms.
He lamented, “We have not eaten anything in our household of 14 for two days in the last four days except water.
”For God’s sake, please reach out to those who organised the protests to end them by negotiating with the government.”
Other beggars re-echoed Haliru’s sentiments, calling for an end to the protests and the total lifting of the curfew.
Malama Mario Kabiru of Hotoro quarters said: “We have run out of foodstuffs and we can’t go out to buy more. We don’t have money, and the situation is unbearable.”
Malam Isa Musa of Dorayi quarters also appealed to the government to introduce measures that would cater for the needs of elderly individuals who have no support.
“We are begging because we have no one to support us. Since the curfew was introduced, we have not eaten anything in the last three days with our families.
”We can’t continue like this; kindly let the protests stop,” he said.
