BY JUDTICE GODWIN
The South East Caucus of the National Assembly has warned against the profiling of Ndi Igbo in the Southwest amid the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest that has paralyzed activities across the country
The South east federal legislators described the tagging of Igbo as instigators of protests as unwarranted and a divisive dangerous trend that would do the country more harm.
The South east NASS Caucus in a statement signed by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on Sunday, Leader of the South East Senate Caucus of the National Assembly, and Rt Hon. Igariwey Iduma Enwo, Leader of the South East Caucus of the House of Representatives, the caucus said, “The attention of the South East Caucus of the National Assembly has been drawn to the unfortunate and dangerous ethnic profiling of Igbo in the ongoing mass protests across the country.
“For the records, the Igbo nation, in obedience to the advice of their leaders—Governors, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, parliamentarian, and others in the private sector—had taken a reasoned and strategic decision not to participate in the ongoing nationwide protests. This is evident in the relative calm experienced in the five Southeast Asian states
“We are, therefore, surprised and disappointed that Igbo are still made scapegoats and targeted as instigators of protests, as shown in several statements (such as the Igbo Must Go hashtag and call by a certain ‘Lagospedia’ Twitter handle) and videos seen online.
“This dangerous ethnic profiling is unwarranted and must stop. It was such profiling that led to the millions of deaths in Nigeria from the 1950s to the unfortunate civil war in 1967 to 1970. Elsewhere in Africa, it led to the genocide in Rwanda and xenophobia in South Africa.
“Such should not be our fate again in Nigeria.
“We demand therefore that the security agencies bring to book the purveyors of these hate speeches in line with the Cybercrimes Act and criminal laws of the country.
“We continue to appeal to Ndigbo across the country to stay away from the protests and remain law-abiding.”.
Kano Protesters remain adamant, ignore Tinubu,
Despite president Nola Tinubu’s broadcast on Sunday, appealing to Nigerians to end the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest, hundreds of protesters hit Kano streets in continuation of their demand to end hunger in the country
The protest was coming few hours after President Bola Tinubu in a nationwide broadcast told the youths that he heard them loud and clear and the protest should be suspendef, even as he listed some the measures so far taken by the federal government to address the hardship
The protesters persisted even as the state government relaxed the 24-hours curfew by six hours (8am to 2pm) to ease the toll the curfew has on residents.
The protesters mostly youths were said to have carried out the protest around Bakin Zuwo and Koki in Dala Local Government area, Sharada in Kano Municipal and Gadon Kaya in Gwale Local Government areas.
They were seen displaying the Russian flag saying they will return to Russian President, “Putin for help”.
An eyewitness in Bakin Zuwo, Malam Salisu said the protesters in their large numbers hit the street to protest against bad governance.
“I saw the protesters in their numbers around 10am. They were holding the Russian flag. They were protesting against the bad governance issues of insecurity and hardship among others,” Salisu said.
Another resident, took to his x-handle @Tkr__khalifa to tweet a video of the protester around Bakin Zuwo displaying the Russian flag and chanting “koya gyara sai ya sauka” literally means “whether he adjust or not, he must go”.
The tweet also carries the caption, “Hunger protest continues in Kano for the fourth day. This is coming after the hopeless speech by the President of the country.”