By: Mayen Etim
KADUNA, North-West Nigeria – The Kaduna State chapter of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), has advised all the youth from the Middle Belt resident in the state to refrain from participating in the coming plan protest against the government of President Bola Tinubu.
The chapter noted that the protest is not only over security and safety concerns, but not to be used to achieve the curious objectives of the sponsors that is not known.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO), Kaduna State Chapter of MBF, Yusuf Danbaki, in a statement on Wednesday after the Forum’s 2nd Exco meeting said, “While the Kaduna State Chapter of the MBF acknowledges that peaceful demonstration is legitimate and necessary over the current hardships faced in the country and the need to draw government attention, the involvement of violent sponsored foreigners has raised genuine security concerns to the Chapter.
“Our youth, known for their orderliness, civility, and discipline, must not be associated with inappropriate acts.”
He explained that the security situation has been reported to the National President of the MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, who is currently gathering feedbacks from other states of the Middle Belt before issuing an official position on behalf of the entire Middle Belters.
According to him, reports reaching the exco indicated that foreigners from northern neighboring countries had already arrived Kaduna State ready to join the demonstration and make it violent, saying that it will jeopardize the safety of the event and compromise the message of the demonstration.
He explained that the meeting agreed that it was time members of the Middle Belt resident in Kaduna State unite as a common front in the interest of their wellbeing, the progress and development of Kaduna State, and Nigeria as a whole.
“A key item on the agenda of the 2nd meeting was the outreach to over 40 ethnic nationalities represented in various socio-cultural ethnic groups from the 14 Middle Belt States resident in Kaduna and other 57 ethnic nationalities indigenous to Southern Kaduna, which make up the MBF state branch.”
The Forum with the permission of its National Working Committee (NWC), nominated Barrister Catherine Doosuur Ishu from Benue State to serve as the Legal Adviser of the MBF, Kaduna State Chapter.