Violence: Kano protest organisers must be held accountable – Waiya

The Executive Director, Citizens for Development and Education (CDE), Amb. Ibrahim Waiya, on Friday, called on security agents to arrest the organizers of the Kano protest.

According to him, the organizers must account for the lives and the properties lost during Thursday mayhem in Kano.

Ambassador Waiya, who is also the Convener, Nigeria For Peace Project (N4P), in a statement made available to newsmen in Kano, condemned all those that helped in one way or the other in organizing and holding the protest.

He said, “we wish to unequivocally condemn the protest in totality, as well as the promoters and organizers for their inability to envisage this calamity which could befall Kano State, our only dear State.”

Hoodlums unleashed violence, widespread looting in Kano on Thursday during the ill fated nationwide protest against “hunger”, culminating in loss of life, and property.

Ambassador Waiya stated that “History wouldn’t forgive those who ardamantly insisted on organizing the protest despite repeated advisory to heed to caution, from many voices of wisdom.”

The Human Rights activists said “Before the date for the protest, many important personalities had cautioned against this planned protest, as Kano State is unique and different from all other States. Especially knowing fully how some evilly minded people in the State, are desperately seeking for a slightest opportunity to strike and destabilize the State.”

The soft spoken activist lamented that “What could be obviously observed as the devidends of the protests were: Loss of human lives, loss of huge private and public investment, tarnishing the image of Kano State, by subjecting our integrity to ridicule, disdain and total embarrassment.”

He stressed “The NCC Centre, which was destroyed by some disgruntled hoodlums under the guise of protest has dragged Kano State back in terms of opportunities on ICT literacy and development”.

Waiya praised “the swift action of Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf by imposing curfew, and to also “appreciate the quick and professional response of all our security agencies to contain the situation, and the arrest so far made of some of the looters and hoodlums.”

The signed statement by Ambassador Waiya noted that “We had all acknowledged the insensitivity of the Federal government to realize the pinnacle of the difficulty in the land, with more than 85% of the citizens struggling to feed, while those in Government have not in any way shown any emphasy to the plights of the suffering citizens, and have continued to openly spend public money so extravagantly for their welfare and the welfare of their immediate family.”

The fearless Rights activists said that Nigerians are losing confidence on democracy and government, and therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to stem the tide with urgent steps to alleviate the sufferings of the Nigerian citizens, as life is becoming so unbearable.

He told Mr. President that “And to let you know that, gradually people are losing confidence and faith in the Nigerian Democracy and your Government”.

He assured that “It is also our resolve to follow up, the unfolding development in Kano State, and ensure that, those culpable in the mess that was created in Kano, in the name of protest are brought to justice.”