End kidnapping, banditry in the North – Group tells Tinubu

…as Bala says Tinubu, APC’s govt responsible for poverty, hardship

The Coalition of Northern Group (CNC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to meet the demands of protesters by ending subsidy scam, reversing fuel price to below N300 per litre and bringing an end to kidnapping, banditry and Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria.

The Group, however urged President Tinubu to address the demands of the protesters, which according to them, included Exploration of Crude Oil at the Kolmani Oil Field that had become dormant 18 months after a Presidential Inauguration of Exploration Activities on the Site; bringing tertiary education fees back to their previous rates, restoring electricity tariff to affordable levels for the public.

Other demands were to return import duties to their previous rates, reform EFCC, stabilize the foreign exchange and bring Country’s inflation down.

The Northern Group made this known in a statement signed by the Coordinator and Secretary, Bello Aminu and Hasnim Pal, respectively which was made available to newsmen in Bauchi.

“These protesters which are in exercise of their fundamental right to peaceful assembly guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are aimed at drawing the attention of the government towards addressing the serious challenges that have made life unbearable to the common man. However, we urge all protesters to embrace peace and dialogue as the means to achieve their goals.

Read also: Bauchi, the best in tackling security challenges of banditry, kidnapping others in Northeast – Gov Bala

“We call on the president to rethink and mend his stand concerning his speech delivered on Sunday which has failed to address the key demand of the protesters.

“We understand and acknowledge the right of the people, especially the youth, to express their grievances and seek better futures. However, we urge all protesters to embrace peace and dialogue as the means to achieve their goals.

“We deeply concerned that some protesters in some parts of the country were seen marching on the streets, waving Russian flags, such actions are not only inappropriate but also a threat to our democracy, it is also a reasonable offense, and it will be viewed and treated as such, and we call on those involved to cease these activities immediately”, the statement partly read.

Meanwhile, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has urged President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to change the Administration’s policies for better in order to reduce poverty that is raving the Country, explaining that All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government was responsible for the hardship.
The governor made this known during the flag-off of the 2024 Bauchi State Local Government election, scheduled to hold on the 17th August 2024, held at the Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu Suleiman Square, Government House, Bauchi State.

He said unemployment was everywhere and Nigerian education was not working; genuine policies of the Federal Government were not working, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has to understand that it’s his problem and it’s their programme that causes all the problems affecting the Country.