North-west reps to constituents: Shun protest, our zone has suffered enough violence

Members of the north-west caucus in the house of representatives have asked their constituents to shun the planned nationwide protest.

There have been reports of a youth-led demonstration, billed to commence on August 1, over the pervasive economic hardship in the country.

President Bola Tinubu has appealed to youths to shelve the protest and allow the government to address the economic challenges.

On Thursday, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said the military has “detected” plans by some “unscrupulous elements” to hijack the protest and perpetrate violence.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Sada Soli, leader of the caucus, said the north-west has “suffered enough” violent attacks, which have ruined the infrastructure of the geopolitical zone.

“That is why members of the national assembly, particularly members of the north-west caucus and indeed other political, traditional, and religious leaders in the north-west geopolitical zone, do not support the scheduled nationwide protest planned by some elements to further disrupt the very delicate balance of the country right now,” Soli, who was flanked by his colleagues, said.

“We appeal to the peaceful and law-abiding people of the north-west geopolitical zone, who have suffered enough disruption of their peace not to join in this potentially destructive exercise but rather to give governments at both the federal and state levels more chance to look at the issues concerned.”

‘DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION WILL REBUILD VIOLENCE-RUINED INFRASTRUCTURE’

Soli, on behalf of his colleagues, commended Tinubu for signing the north-west development commission bill into law.

He said the commission will rebuild the infrastructure damaged by terrorists and bandits in the geopolitical zone.

“We, the house of representatives north-west caucus, are particularly gratified with the signing of the north-west development commission bill which was sponsored by the deputy senate president, distinguished senator Jibrin Barau, in the effort to ginger the economic and social development of the geopolitical zone and restore parity to a people who for years were forced to watch as their lands were ravaged by the gratuitous violence of bandits and other miscreants,” Soli said.

“Hopefully, the commission will cause the rebuilding of our ruined infrastructure, from roads, schools, health facilities, and markets to homes and places of worship, business premises, and other social amenities.

“Perhaps, even more importantly, this commission brings renewed hope to a geopolitical zone whose social fabric and mental well-being have been brutalised by a senseless violence that has been unabating and intractable.

“The sporadic attacks have since escalated into a multidimensional crisis that has hampered agricultural activities and trade and turned some of the most industrious and thriving communities in the north-west geopolitical zone into ghost towns as people flee their homes and become refugees.

“This has manifestly impacted the famous cross-border trade and flourishing agribusiness between the geopolitical zone and neighbouring countries.

“Most of our border constituencies, which were historically vibrant commercial centres, with massive large-scale farmers exporting produce to various parts of Africa, including the Niger Republic, Mali, and the Benin Republic, have since been abandoned by farmers, importers, and exporters due to this wanton violence. As a result, internally generated revenues in these states have been negatively affected.”

The lawmakers said the residents in the geopolitical zone voted for Tinubu because he is a “patriot of the first order and a man who believed in fairness and equity”.

The caucus added that the commission is a “tremendous boost to the valiant” efforts of the governors of the north-west.