By Ibrahim Muazu
For more than two weeks, protests have rocked Nigeria across different parts of the country. protests that erupted against police brutality and extrajudicial killings.
Protesters who were mobilizing through social media start staging demonstrations calling for the dissolution and scrapping of the federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which has long been accused of unlawful arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
Protests over a now-disbanded police unit – the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars) – have been taking place for more than two weeks, with demonstrators using the social media hashtag #EndSars to rally crowds and to draw sympathy from and across the world.
NHRC Directs Staff to Monitor #ENDSARS Protests
However, by all indications, the objectives of #EndSARS protest have been defeated. What ought to be a peaceful protest has now turned to be violent resulted in looting and vandalization of private and government properties, Killing of protesters and policemen, religious crisis (Jos), and evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations, leading to a deadly crackdown.
I carefully follow these events right from the beginning to the current situations. After I listened to Biafra radio broadcasting this morning which was shared with me and read so many articles from the Southern part about Odudua Nation before and after October 1st celebration.
I realized that the people agitating for Biafra and Odudua nations are those escalating this protest to be violent to push for their agenda.
In the broadcast I listened, I heard the presenter calling Lagosian specifically and other protesters to take arms and fight the government. And from the videos I watched especially the one from Kano (which I observed that those protesters are Igbo dwellers in Sabon Gari, Kano), the protest is now made to be an avenue for agitating for Biafra and Odudua nations or to push for restructuring.
The speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajamiala also buttressed my argument about the Odudua nation by his remarks yesterday during the plenary session and I quote “I will not sign off on a 2021 budget that does not have adequate provisions to compensate those who have suffered violence from police in the last decade”. what about the Victims of Banditry, Kidnapping, and Boko Haram? Has the National Assembly ever raised voices for their sakes?
When will the funds for the Victims of Banditry and Boko Haram be included in our annual budget?
Are they not Nigerians? Why the emphasis on police brutality? The victims of Boko Haram and Banditry are in the IDP camps now while others remain homeless and can’t even return home, but yet your concerns are fund to be release for EndSARS Victims only?
My concern is that Northerners in similar positions on the other hand have not even for once made similar efforts or attempt to compensate the victims of Boko Haram, Banditry, and Kidnapping. Are they not representing us?
After I heard Nnamdi Kanu calling Lagosian to take arms to fight the government and their elites from the said audio, I’m calling Lagosian and other Southerners to exercise restraint because the Biafra agitators who also has the same agenda as you are helping you to vandalize those private and government properties (BRT Buses and Stations, Media Houses, County Hospital, Lekki Toll Gate, ORIENTAL HOTEL, NPA HQTRS, AJEROMI/IFELODUN LGA HQTRS, AKILOLU’S PALACE, etc) and renovation and developing the properties they are vandalizing will cost a lot of money which will take you back in your development agenda even if the restructuring or balkanization agenda is achieved.
Furthermore, while they are destroying your businesses and properties, they are preserving places where their businesses are stationed. I’m of the opinion that they are hiding under protest and hatred for your development and economic strength to execute coordinated attacks on Yoruba interests and you are supporting them towards that.
Going by this development, it’s imminent that restructuring or balkanization of Nigeria is due to happen sooner or later, why are the northerners afraid of restructuring or balkanization of Nigeria? Are we not prepared for that because we don’t want to make our leaders accountable for their inaction? Or we accept to continue living in poverty, illiteracy, and insecurity. Who is coming to the rescue of the North?
Instead of running from what has become imminent to happen, why can’t we take the bull by horns?
I want to remind our Northern compatriots that the #SecureNorth protest has been suspended until when the atmosphere is favorable.
Our resolve for a secure and better North remains intact. We will continue pursuing this course peacefully and in line with the provision of the Nigerian constitution. And in the meantime, our online #SecureNorth campaign continues.
ALLAH YA KAWO MANA ZAMAN LAFIYA
Ibrahim Mu’azu
Kano, Nigeria.
Ibrahimmaazu72@gmail.com
07081421873
