Middle Belt youths withdraw from hunger protest

The Middle Belt youths have announced their withdrawal from the proposed nationwide hunger protest.

This is as the youths, under the North Central Youth Council, urged the Federal Government to address the rising cost of living in the country.

The protest, scheduled to be held from August 1 to 10, is in response to the hardship experienced by citizens in the country.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, the group’s National President, Sunday Asuku, said the protest could not solve the problems confronting the country.

Although he admitted that times are hard in the country, he urged all Nigerians to support the government to succeed.

He said, “In lieu of the aforementioned, the leadership of North Central Youth Council hereby dissociates and distances itself from the purported national protest as it doesn’t promise to solve in any way the artificial problems facing us as a country.

“As much as we fully agree that the country is passing through hard times, our unity and support for the government to succeed should be concerted while we keep working, praying and hoping for a better Nigeria.

“Rome, they say, was not built in a day; no right-thinking man would expect a decadence of over 24 years to be fixed in less than two years. This is impossible.”

Asuku urged youths from the region not to join the protests, stating that the country was in a fragile period.

He said, “All Indigenous youths from the North Central region of Nigeria is by this press briefing advised and warned not to join any protest in the name of hunger, insecurity or whatsoever, especially at this fragile period when the atmosphere is tensed, any action capable of undermining our peaceful coexistence as a country should be outrightly and vehemently rejected..”

He, however, appealed to the government to address the rising cost of living in the country.

Asuku said, “While we see, feel and understand the government’s efforts to stabilize the dwindling economy, we also appeal passionately that they put in more measures capable of addressing the rising costs of living.

“We shall continue to monitor heads of MDAs, Ministries, Agencies, etc, to ensure they are not sabotaging the frantic efforts of the government for their gains. The leadership of North Central Youth Council shall not hesitate to expose them forthwith.”