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THEY STOLE EVERYTHING EXCEPT BOOKS. Ahmad Sajoh: Riots in the North Not A Reflection of Discontent with Tinubu But of Northern Elite’s Failure

Published
8 months agoon
By
Ekwutos Blog
On out-of-school children, Sajoh said: “When they broke into the national library in Kano, they took away everything except books.”
Ahmad Sajoh, Former commissioner for information and strategy Adamawa State says the northern elite is the primary target of ongoing protests and riots in Northern Nigeria and not President Bola Tinubu.
Sajoh criticised the Northern elite for neglecting their responsibilities towards youth empowerment, resulting in a large population of uneducated, out-of-school children who lack proper values and direction. This neglect, he suggested, has created a fertile ground for insurgent recruitment.
He also epressed grave concerns about the political exploitation of youth discontent in the North, stating that the recent protests are evidence of political opportunism among the elite.
“I sympathise with the president that this is happening in his own time and that people could interpret it to mean that he is the target but i think the target is all of us that are the political elites in Northern Nigeria,” Sajoh said during an interview with ARISE News on Sunday.
“If you want my opinion as a Nigerian and as a northerner, what played out was not a perception of Asiwaju by the north, but a clear indication of the abdication of the responsibilities of we, the northern elites.
“We have abdicated our roles and responsibilities to empower our youth. We have empowered a large army of uneducated, out-of-school children walking about without imbibing any values, roaming the streets.
“When they broke into the national library in Kano, they took away everything except books, not one book was taken by anybody. That tells you that their direction is different from what you are thinking of. We have neglected education in northern Nigeria.
Speaking further he said, “I think there are political hawks, opportunists that are trying to cash in on this seeming discontent as exemplified by the protest to say look, we want to gain some political currency out of this.
He continued, “They have been the reservoir from where insurgents have been recruiting their army. This is a wakeup call to every northern elite. I sympathise with the president that this is happening in his own time and that people could interpret it to mean that he is the target but I think the target is all of us that are the political elites in Northern Nigeria.”
Sajoh also acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s nationwide address in response to the nationwide protest, praising his speech for its empathetic tone. He also emphasised the importance of the President’s willingness to engage in dialogue with the protesters.
“The president’s speech on the issue of not conceding to hate mongers and bigots is very central and key. I also believe very sincerely that his empathy was very genuine, his concern for people was very genuine, especially in the manner the speech was delivered.
“I think the president has conceded on a number of things, particularly opening himself up for dialogue and I think this an opportunity for whoever is the organiser of the protest to now arrange a platform for engagement with the government since they have said they are ready and willing to come and dialogue with them.”
Sajoh expressed concern over the violent turn of some protests, which involved young children and raised flags of foreign countries.
He questioned the motives behind the display of foreign flags, calling it a dangerous deviation from the protest’s original intent.
“We were concerned that people whose motives were totally not in tandem with the original organisers of the protest seem to have taken over the protest at some level and at some level, we could see some dangerous occurrences during the protest. The young people that went out on looting sprees are barely toddlers, 5 to 10 years old. Those ones cannot be telling you that they are fighting over unemployment Unlike the young people that are well organised and peaceful and articulately talking about their plight as unemployed people.
“Secondly, we noticed that in some states, flags of foreign countries were hoisted. That is a very dangerous thing. Why should anybody protesting the Nigerian government raise the flag of another country? We have also seen people who block the roads, asking for military rule. I think there are some other aspects of this protests that go beyond the original organisers had wanted us to address. Nobody should deceive anybody to say we don’t need this democracy any longer. Nobody should also say we need a foreign power at this stage to run our country.”
Sajoh further urged citizens to hold all levels of government accountable and to remain vigilant in their oversight of leaders, including legislators.
He expressed hope that the President’s address would mark the beginning of a constructive dialogue to address the root causes of the discontent and bring about meaningful change in governance and youth empowerment.
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Protesters Defy Police, Throng Streets In Abuja, Lagos, Others

Published
7 minutes agoon
April 7, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
The protests organised by the Take It Back Movement, are ongoing despite repeated warnings by the police.
In Abuja, Omoyele Sowore, a leader of the movement, and Deji Adeyanju, human rights lawyer, were seen leading the protest, resisting attempts of police officers to take them off the streets.
In Lagos, group of protesters were seen with placards in Ikeja, capital of the state.
In Rivers, the organisers converged on Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt, but were teargassed before the protest gained momentum.
The police authorities had warned against the protest, saying scheduling it to hold on the same day designated by the government as National Police Day was unacceptable.
In a statement, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, said the planned protest appears to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the Nigeria Police and, by extension, the nation.
The statement said, “The Nigeria Police Force has read in the news that a group called ‘Take it Back Movement’ is planning a protest across various states of the Federation, most especially the Federal Capital Territory, scheduled to hold on Monday 7th April, 2025, a day earmarked by the Federal Government as the National Police Day, to celebrate the resilience and dedication of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.
“While not against the exercise of citizens right to peaceful assembly and association in Nigeria as enshrined in the Constitution, the Nigeria Police Force is deeply concerned about the motive behind such protest scheduled on the same day the contributions of the Nigeria Police Force to national security is to be celebrated, putting into consideration that such glamorous event would bring together dignitaries from all spheres of life both internationally and within the country, including Foreign Inspectors-General of Police and Diplomats.
“In line with best global practices adopted by nations in celebrating the achievements of its Police institution, the Nigerian Government has taken the bull by the horns by declaring every April 7 as National Police Day.
“The rationale behind staging a nationwide protest on the same day is, however, questionable and perceived to be a deliberate attempt and unpatriotic act that is capable of rubbishing and maligning the image of the Nigeria Police and the nation as a whole.
“The Nigeria Police Force hereby advises the organisers to shelve this planned protest as it is ill-timed and mischievous.”
The statement called on individuals intending to join the protest to engage in discussions with appropriate government agencies instead of taking to the streets.
The take-it-back movement said it called for a nationwide demonstration to address what it called the “authoritarianism of President Bola Tinubu administration, abuse of human rights and the misuse of the Cybercrime Act.”
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BREAKING: Edo vigilantes protest collection of weapons by Edo State government.

Published
52 minutes agoon
April 7, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Edo vigilantes protest collection of weapons by Edo State government.
The spokesman of the vigilante cried out when he was been interviewed. He said;
“Our life is no longer safe, we are begging the governor to give us our guns back, some of the people we arrested and detained have escaped”
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Lagos: Woman drowns after canoe capsizes on Erekiti River

Published
1 hour agoon
April 7, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
A local farmer’s wife identified as Abosede has lost her life in a canoe accident on the Erekiti River, Lagos State.
The incident occurred on Sunday, as Abosede, her husband Jesuyon, and her 17-year-old sister, Mary, were making their way home from the farm.
According to reports, the canoe carrying the trio suddenly capsized midstream, throwing all occupants into the water.
Jesuyon and Mary managed to survive the incident. A source close to the family said the farmer, in a desperate effort, swam to safety with his sister-in-law, but was unable to rescue his wife as the river swept her away.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development, noting that a coordinated search is currently underway to recover Abosede’s body.
“Based on the report, teams of Marine policemen and local divers were mobilised for a search and rescue operation. Efforts are ongoing to recover the missing body. The investigation is in progress,” Hundeyin said.
The community remains in shock as the search continues along the Erekiti River.

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