Nationwide Protest: Coalition wants amnesty for about 1,000 arrested protesters

A Coalition of Youth groups in northern Nigeria have called on the federal and states governments to grant amnesty to about one thousand arrested protesters across the country, saying “it is to avoid further waste of scarce resources.”

The group in a statement signed by Usman Mohammed Yahaya of the Yan-Almajiri Endowment also called on Northern states’ Governors to establish a N250billion Endowment for Technical and Vocational Training in all Islamiyya Schools across Northern Nigeria.

The group also decried the way for which the Protest got to saying “unfortunately, what happened afterwards is now dark spot in our history that shall live with everyone forever, just like every other civil unrest”.

According to Yahaya “in the interest of a quick healing process, immediate recovery and fast reconstruction that we hereby call on the States affected by the violent protest and the Federal Government to Grant Amnesty to the almost 1,000 suspected violent Protesters arrested and 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 be immediately enrolled into skills acquisition”.

“It is our fervent belief that at the heart of the current civil unrest are poverty, hunger and unemployment occasioned by a burgeoning population in the face of poor skills and dwindling resources.

“We make this patriotic call with a view that Federal Government will commence the much awaited Dialogue.”