By Joseph Edegbo
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Kaduna State Chapter, has expressed its sincere appreciation to its members for heeding to its call to shun the August 1st – 10th, 2024 #EndBadGovernance protest in Kaduna State.
The MBF is the umbrella socio-cultural body of all ethnic nationalities north of the Benue and Niger Basins that were never under the Sokoto caliphate and Kanem-Borno rule in pre-colonial Nigeria.
A statement by the Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Forum, Mr. Luka Biniyat also hails the effort of the state Governor, Sen. Uba Sani for the manner he managed the chaos, violence and seditious dimension that the protest predictably assumed in the state, as they had earlier warned.
“We join other well meaning Nigerians in condemning the well planned anarchy, looting and arson that took place.
“We also commiserate with innocent victims of the violent demonstration.
‘Though we can never be part of that inappropriate way of addressing our grievances, nonetheless, the anger, frustration and hopelessness driven by hunger in Nigeria of today is real. And the government must take note of this seriously and address it urgently.
“We are, however, very proud to note and praise the composure and civility of our youths from, Sanga, Lere, Kafanchan to Chikun et al, and all areas dominant by the people of the Middle Belt in other major towns and cities of the state, while other parts of the state boiled with lawlessness during the mass protest.
“Though the curfew that is slammed in Zaria and Kaduna metropolitan areas affects even our major areas of residency far removed from the scenes of the rebellion, we nonetheless agree that it’s a development we have to endure for the good of the state.
“We are however, happy to note that life has resumed to normalcy in targeted areas. In this light, are very much looking forward to the total uplifting of the curfew so that everyone can go about the full pursuit of livelihood in affected areas.
“In Conclusion, MBF, Kaduna State Chapter acknowledges the dire living challenges we all face under this government and our legitimate rights to protest and hold the government accountable, but we insist that it must be done in a responsible and patriotic manner devoid of other negative motives strange to the intended action.
“Together, we can build a brighter future for our State and our nation.
” Let us stand firm in our values of orderliness, civility, and discipline, ensuring that our actions reflect the best of who we are as Middle Belters.
“Thank you for your commitment to peace.
Together, we can navigate our challenges and work towards a better tomorrow for our country”, the statement concludes