Hundreds of thousands of Katsina youths on Tuesday embarked on a peaceful protest, calling for the immediate resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari over the deteriorating security challenges bedevilling the North-west region and Katsina State in particular.
According to the protesters who were chatting war songs, the resignation became imperative in view of Buhari administration’s inability to curtail banditry, kidnapping and other heinous crimes in he North-west states, including his home state of Katsina
The youths, under the aegies of Coalition of Northern Groups, said that the federal government and North-west state governors had failed to tackle the bloodletting in the region.
They also passed a vote of no confidence on the present leadership of President Buhari and Governor Masari in addressing the spate of banditry and kidnapping facing communities in the state.
Addressing journalists, the North-west Vice-Chairman of Coalition of Northern Groups, Jamailu Aliyu Charanchi, who led the youths in the protest, called for a total overhauling of the country’s security architecture and Katsina State security committees.
According to him, the review of the security architecture would pave the way for competence, integrity and accountability in handling security challenges in Katsina State and the country in general.
He said: “We embarked on the protest to draw the attention of the federal government and all northern state governors, traditional rulers, religious and political leaders to the growing multi-sectoral threats in the region that are pregnant with complications and unforeseen economic, social and political consequences.
“The rise in the spate of banditry, kidnappings and bloodshed in places such as Faskari, Danmusa and Batsari lately has become a major trying point for everyone but the authorities have remained detached from the reality.
“The administration’s various attempts to reassert public confidence with repeated rhetoric of being on top of the situation, seems increasingly discordant as the violent attacks, killings and kidnaps become more regular and calls for protests becoming overwhelmingly loud and widespread.”
He also called for the promulgation of a legislation to compel the review of the salary and general incentive packages of security personnel that would enable them to discharge their duties effectively.
Charanchi equally admonished the federal government to ensure prompt payment of retirement benefits to security personnel and free education scheme for families of slain officers in the course of duty.
Addressing the protesters, the state Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Buba, said the federal and state governments have done tremendously well in tackling banditry and insurgency confronting the country.
He said during the previous administration, 17 local government areas were captured by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State but the present administration had reclaimed the local governments.
The state police chief urged youths in the country not to allow disgruntled elements to use them to destroy the country and efforts made by President Buhari in restoring peace across the nation
