JNI, stakeholders advocate dialogue, withdraw from protest

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and other stakeholders in the North have urged government representatives, civil society organisations (CSOs) and citizens to engage in open and inclusive dialogue to address the underlying issues and concerns that may drive protests.

The coalition of CSOs in Kaduna State also announced its withdrawal from the planned nationwide protest but told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that it would organise another protest in due course if he failed to address the plight of Nigerians.

But, Professor Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the Secretary General of JNI, in a statement appealed for more restrain and cautioned Nigerians on the protest.

He said, “Arising from the recent calls and counter-calls for protest in Nigeria, occasioned by food insecurity, inflation, abject poverty and escalating national security challenges, it becomes very worrying and requires immediate attention.

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“Therefore, JNI under the leadership of His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, with all sense of responsibility appeals to the protest conveners, their covert and overt benefactors, as well as other critical stakeholders and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to urgently engage in critical and realistic dialogue before the situation degenerate or snowballs into an uncontrollable scenario.”

In another one-day conference organised by Arewa Youth Assembly and the Arewa Think Tank in collaboration with Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF), the groups decided to back out of the proposed protest.

A communique presented at the end of the meeting by the Convener of Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, noted that the conference theme, “Fuel Your Creativity: Choosing Entrepreneurship for Progress”, resonated well with the Northern youths and held significant potential for the benefit of the entire country.

“Therefore we have resolved that we will not be part of any protests. We call on Nigerian youth to engage authorities constructively through peaceful and legal means, such as dialogue and constructive engagement,” Yakubu said.