Zulum: Most protesters in Borno underaged — they don’t know reason for demonstration

Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, says 95 percent of the those who participated in Thursday’s protests in Maiduguri were underaged.

In a broadcast on Saturday, Zulum also announced the lifting of a 24-hour curfew imposed on the state.

He said his administration would address the influx of Almajiri children into Maiduguri, the state capital.

“Over 95 per cent of those who participated in the so-called Thursday protests were children under 14 years. Most of them do not know why they are protesting,” he said.

“A six- year-old child carrying a placard is amazing; he must have been directed by someone. Most of those children are not from Borno.

“While we are not discouraging the Almajiri education, we must however have their teachers or guardians looking after them.”

He said “hoodlums” hijacked the protest in Maiduguri, looted and destroyed public properties including hospitals.

“In what could have been a major disaster, attempts were made by the hoodlums on several occasions to attack the Maiduguri Emergency Power Gas Plant, however, it was averted by our gallant security forces,” he said.

“Violence has no place in our society and I implore citizens to reject any call to arms or act of aggression.

“As we lift the curfew on Saturday, any person that engages in looting and violent activities will be dealt with accordingly.”

Zulum said his administration is committed to positively transform the state, citing interventions in various sectors, particularly infrastructure, health and education.

“We have distributed rounds of food and non food items palliatives within Maiduguri and other LGAs, scaled up our support to farmers through sales of fertiliser, and provided seeds and farm inputs to enhance food production,” Zulum said.

“We want to also invest in irrigation agriculture and livestock development.”