Community Advocacy for Peace and Strategic Leadership Initiative (CAPSLI) has condemned the violence that characterised Thursday’s #EndHunger protests across the country.

CAPSLI condemned the incidents in a statement by Akwuobi Francis, its national chairman and Pius Pamela, national secretary, on Friday.

According to the statement, at least 17 people were killed during the protest, and property was destroyed or damaged.

“Scores are reportedly injured in the protests hijacked by non-state actors across eight states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),” it said.

The group said the inspector-general of police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Thursday night, confirmed the destruction of property in Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, FCT Abuja, Niger and Jigawa, respectively.

The group regretted that the demonstrations turned bloody, adding that the law-abiding and patriotic citizens were denied access to their means of livelihood.

It said Thursday’s violence confirmed the reason security agencies appealed against the planned protests, that it might be hijacked by subversive and unpatriotic elements to unleash terror, and wanton destruction.

Therefore, the group appealed to the organisers of the protests to suspend further action in the collective interest of the nation.

(NAN)