‘Arrest bandits, not critics’ — group demands release of man who led Katsina protest

The Concerned Nigerians Group has condemned the arrest of Nastura Sharif, chairman of the board of trustees (BoT) of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG).

Sharif was arrested by the police over the protest his group organised against the insecurity in the north.

In a statement, Deji Adeyanju, convener of the Concerned Nigerians Group, called for the immediate release of Sharif.

Adeyanju asked President Muhammadu Buhari to focus on arresting bandits and not critics of his administration.

“We are greatly worried that the President is arresting critics of his sheer incompetence in the handling of security situations in the North instead of the bandits killing Nigerians,” Adeyanju said.

“The president should arrest the bandits and not patriotic citizens speaking up against the gross incompetence of the government. A government that negotiates and begs bandits cannot be arresting critics.

“The president needs to show leadership and stop arresting those criticizing him. We are in democracy and this system of government gives the citizens the right and freedom to hold elected public officials accountable.

“If the president can’t tolerate dissents, then, he should be courageous enough to resign. Freedom of assembly is one of the most fundamental rights of the citizens in a democracy.

“All the energy being expended by the police in arresting Mr. Nastura Sherif and other concerned Nigerians who protested on Tuesday in Katsina should be channeled into taming the monstrous bandits terrorizing the people of Katsina and other parts of North.

“We are solidly behind Nastura Sherif and we call on the Nigerian government to release him immediately from detention.”

On Monday, a coalition of northern youth groups asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the service chiefs over the rising insecurity in the north.

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) also expressed concern over the high rate of insecurity in the north, accusing Buhari of failing to address the security challenges in the region.