Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has strongly criticized the orchestration of protests involving underprivileged minors, calling it “unfortunate, ungodly, and condemnable.”
The governor’s comments came in response to recent demonstrations in Kaduna that reportedly turned violent.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, Governor Sani provided his perspective on the events:
“The children that came out don’t even demand anything other than to break offices and attack police,” he stated.
The governor explained that while the protest began peacefully, it was later co-opted by individuals with malicious intent.
He praised the initial response of law enforcement, saying, “I give a lot of credit to the police in Kaduna; they escorted the protesters, but unfortunately, it was hijacked.”
Sani revealed that prior to the demonstration, he had cautioned about Kaduna’s delicate social fabric.
“I warned a few days before the protest that Kaduna is a very fragile state, having issues with different groups,” he said.
The situation escalated when, according to the governor, “Some miscreants hijacked the protest, and as a result, a police officer was shot.”
He added that authorities recovered live ammunition from some protesters.
Investigations reportedly uncovered that many of the individuals who commandeered the protest were minors.
“After a lot of investigation, the report I received is that most of these miscreants that hijacked the protest used children between the ages of 15, 16, and 17,” Sani disclosed.
The governor expressed disappointment with the nature of the demonstration, contrasting it with his own experiences as an activist.
“Today’s protest wasn’t the normal protest I expected. I led protests in Nigeria many times,” he said.
Sani also addressed broader regional issues, acknowledging long-standing problems in northern Nigeria. He called for introspection among northern leaders, citing troubling statistics on poverty, financial exclusion, and out-of-school children in the region.
“That is why, if you look at the protest today, most of the states that participated are from northern Nigeria. It is not because the north is against Tinubu and the government but because those that hide to sponsor these gullible children,” the governor noted.
Sani highlighted his administration’s efforts to address these challenges in Kaduna, including stakeholder engagement, financial inclusion initiatives, and investments in education infrastructure.
He also mentioned measures to reduce government spending, such as foregoing new vehicles for state officials.
