News Editor
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in the early hours of Monday to protest what they termed the negative insinuations and propaganda against Northern Nigeria.
As they marched through Kaduna metropolis, the protesters condemned the insinuations doing the round that the ‘North is bleeding’ instead they shouted that ‘the North is not bleeding’
According to them, the region is going through healing process, adding that there were efforts by security agencies to tackle the various security challenges facing the region.
The convener of the protest under the auspices of Coalition of Northern Activists for Peace (CNAP), Kaduna State, Prince Zubairu Mukhtar, said the rally was organised in appreciation of the efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the security agencies in addressing the challenges that have bedeviled Northern Nigeria.
“The North has over time been on the spotlight with issues of insecurity, specifically banditry, terrorism and cyber propaganda. We all know for certain that the issues at stake require a multi-stakeholder approach, which is necessary considering the dynamics of the issues that have affected the socioeconomic well-being of the peaceful and loving people of Kaduna State and indeed Northern Nigeria.
“It is a known fact that the past 12 years have been challenging, especially with the havoc caused by the activities of the Boko Haram insurgent group and other militant organisations in states like Borno, Yobe, Katsina, Bauchi, Plateau and our dear Kaduna State.
“It is indeed a statement of fact that the actions of these criminal elements brought sorrow, tears and blood in a most barbaric and condemnable manner.
“As concerned stakeholders in Northern Nigeria and in kaduna State, we cannot feign ignorance to the issues affecting our state and the region, which by all indications are politically motivated.
“This is in cognizant that successive governments attempted to address the issues. However, their best wasn’t good enough, so much so that we feared that Armageddon had come.
“My comrades, Ladies and gentlemen of the press and the good people of kaduna State, we don’t need a soothsayer to tell us about the heavy economic losses that have risen due to the activities of non-state actors. We also do not need a prophet to say that hundreds of thousands of mothers and children have lost their lives in the carnage.
“At some point, we feared that peace would never return to the north. Our fears were brought about by the inability of those saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and properties that seemed handicapped for ethnic, social and political reasons.”
Tribune
