Count Niger youths out of planned nationwide protest

Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago has assured Nigerians that Niger youths will not be part of the planned nationwide strike set for August 1 to 10 2024.

A widely publicised youth protest has been planned to drive home the current hunger and economic hardship facing the country.

Bago made this known on Thursday during a town hall meeting in Minna where he averred that the youths in the State were peaceful and would not be drawn into any national protest.

He called on the youths planning the protest to bury the thought saying, “We, as youths of Niger state, have distanced ourselves from the nationwide protest because we are peaceful and want peace and tranquillity.

“You can start demonstrations but you cannot end demonstrations. To youths who are agitating for this protest, let us end these agitations, let us communicate and dialogue on the best way forward.”

The governor announced the release of 50,000 metric tonnes of grains which, he said, would be sold at 50 per cent of its present price and called on security agencies to be on their toes in monitoring and ensuring that the directive is followed to the letter.

“We have over 100, 000 metric tonnes of food in our reserves out of which we will be releasing 50,000 metric tonnes to be sold at 50 per cent of its present price. Before the end of the year, we will slash food prices by 90 per cent,” he assured.

Bago who also announced his support for the autonomy of local governments urged the Chairmen to sit up saying that several of them could not pay salaries for a year. He also boasted that the state government did not depend on FAAC to finance its projects or move the state forward.

“I do not need FAAC in Niger state. The roads I am building and the projects I have undertaken are not being done by FAAC. We are producing and that is the secret behind what we are doing. There are people who have invested in Niger State in the next five years.

“The food I am giving out at a 50 per cent subsidy was originally meant for export but due to the hardship faced by the people, we have opened our warehouses to feed Nigerlites.”

In his remark on the planned protest, the Emir of Bida and the Chairman of the council of traditional rulers of Niger state, Abubakar Yahaya urged the youths not to be tempted to embark on the planned nationwide protest, saying that the protest is not a way to go.

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji in his address, also urged the youths of the state not to be part of the protest, stressing that the state would organize programmes for the youths to engage in.