•Gunmen
The Middle Belt Youth Forum said it has suspended its planned peace walk to demand an end to the incessant kidnapping and killings that have ravaged the region and some parts of the country.
The Executive Director of a co-organising agency with the youth group, Africa’s Morning Centre, Chima Christian, disclosed this in a statement made available to our correspondent today.
Christian disclosed that the decision to suspend the protest came after a meeting with federal government representatives who told them that President Bola Tinubu would be attending a function within the area the protest was scheduled to take place, reports The PUNCH.
He noted further that the FG representatives therefore advised that the peaceful walk should be shifted to another day that would be convenient for both parties.
The statement reads in part, “Despite having previously secured firm arrangements, Nigerian authorities have, late last night, requested that we postpone the solidarity peace walk scheduled to hold in Abuja today. They have instead asked that we work with them to choose another date that is mutually convenient.
“According to them, the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, will be attending a function near the location/route of the planned peace walk. Because of this, we have been told that the area will be cordoned off on the date of the planned peace walk in keeping up with the President’s security and protocol arrangements.
“The state agents we interface with have been quite courteous in all our engagements with them up to this moment. While the room for suspicion of foul play and underhand tactics exists, we have, as law-abiding citizens, chosen to work within all acceptable state protocols.
“We regret this forced postponement, and apologise for the inconveniences this might cause our media partners and all intending participants. Rest assured that we’ll work assiduously to organise the peace walk in the nearest future, and will continue to carry out all lawful activities aimed at bringing an end to the killings and other acts of terrorism going on in Nigeria’s Middle Belt Region.”
Members of the Middle-Belt Youth Forum had yesterday said they would protest in Abuja today against the rising cases of kidnapping in the region and the insecurity that has ravaged parts of the country.
This is coming after the arrest of 10 suspected bandits by the military.
The President of the forum, Brent Kane, had disclosed that the protesters would march peacefully to the Attorney-General of the Federation’s office to demand the declaration of kidnappers and bandits as terrorists and an end to the killings and abductions across the country.
The planned demonstration was to take place as about 19 abductees taken away by bandits from the Sagwari Estate Layout in Dutsen-Alhaji area in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory last Thursday spent the seventh day in custody of their captors.
The kidnappers have demanded a N700m ransom for nine of their victims.
The kidnappers killed four of the hostages, including Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, a 400-level student of Biological Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and 13-year-old Folashade Ariyo.
Nabeeha was abducted alongside six other siblings and as of Tuesday night, the remaining five sisters, including Najeebah, a 500-level Quantity Surveying student and Nadherah, a 300-level Zoology student, are still in captivity.
