The Kano state government managed the recent ENDSARS protest with maturity despite the provocation. Writes BASHIR MOHAMMED.
At the time #EndSARS protest started across the nation, it was the contention of everyone that the protesters were all out to voice their dissent against what they considered the blatant and despicable brutality of the operatives of the anti-robbery squad otherwise known as SARS.
At the beginning, there were fears that the protest may have unimaginable consequences that could eventually turn into violence, mayhem and destruction of public property, knowing that in circumstances of that magnitude, criminals with sinister motives may wish to hijack the protest to their own interest.
With the tide of event taking a dismal turn, the protesters backlash has not ended with the demand that SARS should be disbanded outrightly; rather it had metamorphosed into a looting spree with collateral damage reaching an unprecedented height most especially in Lagos and some parts of the country, an ugly scenario that completely changed the perception of people who believed that the protesters were only concerned about disbanding the anti-robbery squad.
State govt’s maturity towards protesters
As the northern part of the country was watching the unfolding drama with maturity, the people of Kano in particular were in the fore-front of exhibiting such maturity as a result of the effort put in place by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who had employed his diplomatic finesse to summon tribal and religious leaders in order to put heads together and avert a catastrophe.
It was however the contention of the people of Kano that since the protesters’ intention was orchestrated to ignite a conflagration in the country, there was no justifiable premise for them to be supported in actualising their sinister motive.
That peace meeting has undoubtedly yielded a positive result with the tribal and religious leaders comprehending the consequences of joining the protesters bandwagon.
With the governor’s stunning feat almost receiving the accolades of notable peace-loving citizens of the state, security agencies were equally praised for demonstrating a high sense of maturity, civility and sheer professionalism in managing the #End-SARS protest which started and ended in Sabon-Gari where majority of the tribal groups lived.
It was an indisputable fact that Kano would have been engulfed in waton destruction and bloodshed if it had treated the path of Lagos and some parts of the South. This is because the people of Kano had come to realise the folly of those who wanted to hide under the cover of anti-SARS protest to ignite unnecessary war.
It was therefore interesting to note that some community leaders have tirelessly worked round the clock in prevailing on the most restive youths to sheathe their swords and allow peace to prevail at the time as precipitating chaos and anarchy would not pay. Also, putting Kano on fire would be catastrophic to everyone residing in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
Prominent citizens condemn protest
The protest however elicited reactions from notable pundits, the academia and the court of public opinion taking into consideration the consequences of lending credence to the parochial interest of those who wanted to use a crafty ploy in destabilizing the country.
In the words of a public affairs commentator, Malam Aminu Idriss Fagge, the protesters have no cogent reason to use the anti-SARS campaign to ignite chaos and bloodshed since the federal government has agreed to disband the unit, hours after the commencement of the protest. He said such a ploy was aimed to put Nigeria asunder despite the inherent danger.
According to him, it was high time for the most patriotic citizens of the country to comprehend that the unity and oneness of the country is sacrosanct and must not be compromised on the exhortations of those who had envisioned the benefit of fragmenting the nation in pieces towards achieving selfish interest.
He said that right from the onset, the federal government shouldn’t have succumbed to the agitation of disbanding SARS being a security outfit created to check the onslaught of armed robbers, robbing people of their belongings and killing innocent people with impunity.
He said” I can’t imagine the way and manner some self-centered elements should be allowed to use the anti-SARS campaign to destroy people-s property. Even media establishments were not spared; it was a barbaric, wicked and despicable act.
“We all know that peaceful protest as encapsulated in the constitution is legitimate. We are in a democratic setting so to speak. The protesters should know that such a constitutional leverage must not be used as a cannon-fodder to cause chaos and unnecessary bloodshed.
“Could it be possible for the Americans to call for the disbandment of the FBI in the name of protest? Could it be possible to call for the disbandment of the CIA? Could it be possible for the Britons to call for the dissolution of the MI5 or MI6? Could it be possible for the Scottish people to call for the disbandment of Scotland Yard? Could it be possible for the Israelis to call for the disbandment of MOSSAD? These are simple questions to ask the protesters and hear from them ” he affirmed.
“Those craving for revolution in the country are myopic and have failed to see things beyond their noses. Revolution without cohesion would turn out to be a hoax. We have had so many revolutions in history. Americans started their own in 1775 which was the deadliest internal conflict in American history. French had their own and it was a bloody one. Cuba had its own in 1959 and it was bloody. Egypt had its own in 1952, it was bloody. Libya had its own in 1969, it was also bloody. Iran had its own in 1979, it was also bloody. So, what were the protesters saying?” he asked.
He however stated that the protesters are only drawing the attention of the international community to wade-in and support their sinister design, forgetting that the intervention of some international powers during the 1967-70 Civil war had portrayed the gluttonous craze for oil which America and France had sought to exploit at the expense of Nigeria’s unity and peace.
Speaking in the same vein, an Islamic Scholar, Ustaz Dauda Lokon-Makera, said violent demonstration is never the way out of a certain mess and that even Islam abhors violence under whatever guise. He added that it was ludicrous for the protesters to call for a change of guard under the flimsy excuse of disbanding SARS.
According to him, Nigeria as a formidable entity is too big for such a crafty subterfuge to be so easily perfected and executed to reach fruition within a short span as certain indices have to be taken into consideration before jumping into conclusion, stressing that even the international community would eventually come to realise the futility of supporting the protesters game-plan.
He however commended security agencies for exhibiting high sense of maturity and professionalism in handling the protest. He equally commended Governor Ganduje for initiating the peace meeting with religious leaders and tribal groups, stressing however that initiating the move was what had saved Kano from anarchy.
However, the efforts of some notable community leaders and the Ulama at the behest of Governor Ganduje helped in averting bloodshed on Kano streets taking into consideration the sordid episodes that had taken a severe toll on the state in the past.
Igbo community also condemn protest
The Igbo community in Kano through its leader, Igwe Boniface Ibekwe apologised to the state government and residents over the recent violence and destruction of property as a result of the protest.
Igwe Ibekwe tendered the apology while briefing news men shortly after a stakeholders meeting organised on the issue penultimate Saturday. The stakeholders meeting was organised by the chairman, Fagge local government area, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehi.
Ibekwe, who is also the chairman, peace committee said the act by the youths in Sabon-Gari area must be condemned, stressing that it was not the character of true Igbos. He posited that the Igbo community in Kano is not in support of such an evil act; therefore, he described it as utterly criminal.
He said, “The protesters came to my house, throwing stones because I did not support them to stage the protest. I cannot support evil. I earlier appealed to them not to embark on the protest because Kano is a peaceful state and volatile as well.”
While calling on his people to desist from such unacceptable acts, the Igbo leader also called on security agencies in the state to do the needful on anyone who flouted the laws governing peaceful conduct with impunity.
As things stand at present, the #EndSARS protest which turned into a fiasco most especially in some parts of the country, has failed to leave its destructive impact on a state with huge population and valuable human and material resources like Kano.