UPDATED: Don’t be used to destroy Kano, Sanusi tells protesters

The 16th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, has called on the people not to allow themselves to be used as agents of destruction in Kano, the north and the country at large.

The Emir spoke just as news broke that protesters had returned to the streets despite the  curfew imposed to check widespread violence.

Daily Trust had reported how protesters regrouped in Tudun Wada of Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano, on Friday afternoon.

They regrouped after Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf relaxed the curfew to enable Muslim faithful observe Jumaat.

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Our correspondent saw youth converging on the bridge demarcating Tudun Murtala and Tudun Wada wards.

Many of them wielded placards while others sang and clapped as they marched on after a young man addressed them.

At a press conference held at his Gidan Rumfa palace Friday evening, the first-class monarch expressed deep concern over how public and private properties were looted and vandalised owing to the protest that was billed to be peaceful demonstration against hunger and hardship in the country.

The Emir said what happened is a setback to the state, the northern region and the country at large.

He said, “Today is a sad day for the people of Kano as we reflect over the events of yesterday. The violence of yesterday was what scholars and leaders kept warning against the possibility that miscreants and agents of destruction would hijack peaceful demonstrations and use that opportunity to cause mayhem which led to loss of lives and destruction of properties and injuries to countless people.

“As we said during the stakeholders meeting, any violence in Kano only hurts Kano, it hurts innocent people. The young people who died are our children, the property that was burnt and stolen belongs to the people of Kano. We have set ourselves back. The printing press that was burnt will have to be rebuilt, the machines will have to be bought and these are funds that could have gone into youth empowerment, into poverty alleviation, into education, healthcare and nutrition and addressing the very problems that we are protesting against.

“The Digital Centre of excellence that was built by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) was aimed at educating our youth, giving them digital training, preparing them for examinations. I had personally spoken to the minister and I am aware that the minister was due to come in next week to commission this centre along with the Governor. We have vandalised and destroyed the computers, we have wasted hundreds of millions of Naira that was supposed to be investment in human capital.

“I am calling on people of Kano not to allow themselves to be repeat what happened yesterday or to be deceived into continuing with this kind of mayhem. Parents should advise their children, Ward heads, district heads, Imams should call on our people and let them know understand that this violence only hurts Kano, only sets Kano back and nobody is going to come fix our problems.

“We pray to Allah to have mercy on the souls that have passed away, to restore the wealth of those who have been looted or vandalised, to grant good health to those who are injured in a short time.

“Let us continue to persevere, Kano has witnessed difficult times before, it has gone through worse than this and it has risen. Let us revive the Kano spirit of strength, of perseverance and upholding steadfast onto God who will lift us up and out of this even stronger.

“We pray to Allah to support all those who mean Kano well and to be our protector and sufficient guardian against all of those who wish us evil. We calm on the people to maintain the peace, to corporate with security agencies, to report any suspicious activity, human beings. When people steal goods they always find a buyer, let us try and refuse to buy stolen goods and instead encourage those young men and women to return those goods to their owners.”