By Awwal Umar Kontagora A coalition of youth groups in northern Nigeria has called on federal and state governments to grant amnesty to appr...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
A coalition of youth groups in northern Nigeria has called on federal and state governments to grant amnesty to approximately one thousand protesters arrested across the country, arguing that this measure would prevent the further waste of scarce resources.
In a statement signed by Usman Mohammed Yahaya of the Yan-Almajiri Endowment, the coalition also urged northern state governors to establish a N250 billion endowment for technical and vocational training in all Islamiyya schools across Northern Nigeria.
The group lamented the aftermath of the protests, stating, "Unfortunately, what happened afterward is now a dark spot in our history that shall live with everyone forever, just like every other civil unrest."
Yahaya emphasized the importance of a quick healing process, immediate recovery, and fast reconstruction, urging the affected states and the Federal Government to grant amnesty to the nearly 1,000 suspected violent protesters who have been arrested and are facing prosecution. "The reason is to avoid further waste of scarce resources. This amnesty should be granted after proper profiling of each person, and those found not to be gainfully employed and with no skills should be immediately enrolled into skills acquisition programs," he said.
He further stated, "It is our fervent belief that at the heart of the current civil unrest are poverty, hunger, and unemployment, exacerbated by a burgeoning population facing poor skills and dwindling resources. We make this patriotic call with the hope that the Federal Government will commence the much-awaited dialogue."
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