Northern youths, under the aegis of the Arewa Youth Empowerment Initiative Programme, have described as “unfortunate” the death of applicants during the immigration recruitment exercise, saying that it was not the wish of the Minister of Interior to “see that any patriotic Nigerian would go through such experience.”
Speaking in Makurdi, the Benue state coordinator of the group, Alhaji Sule Malikanchi, said “in as much as these events may indelibly create gashes in the hearts of many, it is also important to note that politicising the issue will rather worsen and create bad blood amongst Nigerians.”
Malikanchi urged Nigerians to reflect “deeply and see the motive of the exercise and not play the game of sentimentality and allow good judgements to be clouded by emotions which are obviously sad.”
He said the minister’s intention was a laudable attempt to create jobs for young unemployed youths.
He said: “We have observed attempts by politicians who have axes to grind with the minister intension to incite Nigerians and also call for the removal of the Minister whose only crime is his attempt to bring unemployment to a minimal level with the attempted mass recruitment.
Also speaking, the secretary of the initiative, Koko Michael (JP), said: “It is pertinent to remind us that unemployment has eaten deep and become a canker worm in the life of this great nation and any attempt at depleting the number of unemployed Nigerians should rather be commended than chastised.
“On this note, we call on all angered and bitter parties involved in this unfortunate incidence to view this occurrence from the point of intend and not its resultant outcome.”
He urged the federal government to ensure that the compensations promised to the families who lost children and wards during the course of this exercise were followed to the letter.
“It is true that nothing can replace the lives of those that were lost, however removing this two, whose good deeds has unfortunately turned their greatest undoing does not change it either. Let us please look at their intents before crucifying him.”
