Says intimidation, arrest won’t silence oppressed voices

By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja

Niger Delta youths under the auspices of Niger Delta Youth Congress, NDYC, Wednesday, demanded the release of the leader of  Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, Nastura Ashir Sharif, who was arrested on Tuesday,  by the police over a protest on rising attacks and killings by armed bandits in Katsina State and entire North West and North Central regions.

This was contained in a statement signed by the National Coordinator, NDYC, Comrade Israel Uwejeyan, where the group pointed out that Shariff was merely telling the government that things are falling apart in terms of security of lives and property in Katsina State and other parts of the country.

The group also frowned at the rate of innocent Nigerians are killed, raped, and kidnapped following criminal activities by armed bandits, killer herdsmen, ritualists, armed robbers, rapists, and Boko Haram insurgents.

READ ALSO: Police detain leader of Coalition of Northern Groups after protest against bandits in Katsina

The statement reads in part, “The Niger Delta Youth Congress have watched with dismay, the security fiasco in our great Nation Nigeria ranging from kidnappings, rape, killer herdsmen to the freewill massacre of innocent citizens by armed bandits and the ‘technically defeated’ Boko Haram.

“The level of killings has really alarmed Nigerians with the recent massacre by armed bandits in Kastina State, where over 40 people were killed and property destroyed within one day and massive displacement of children, mothers and the aged.

“We are pained despite it is happening in Northern parts of the country because we are all Nigerians, therefore anything that affects our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and youth in any part of the country, directly and indirectly, affects us also.

“One of us, leader of Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, Nastura Ashir Shariff, who is a human rights activist and a National youth leader, whom we respect so much was arrested and detained by the Nigeria Police Force for the protest that erupted in Katsina and the entire north, which he expressed his dismay over the deteriorating state of security of lives and property in the State and region as a result of the Nation’s failing security system.

“As a bonafide citizen of Nigeria, Shariff and everyone have the constitutional right to speak and express their feelings when the government is not performing as it is the constitutional responsibility of the Government to protect the lives and properties of its citizens. What wrong has he done?

“Therefore, we in NDYC condemn in all entirety his arrest and demand his unconditional release without further delay. We are also calling on the Inspector General Police to call his officers and men to effect his release.”

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Meanwhile, the group maintained that no amount of intimidation can silence oppressed voices, because it is their constitutional right to let the government know all is not well.

“We refuse to be intimidated. The time has come for our youths in the Niger Delta region and the Nation at large to rise up from mediocrity and unite against tyranny, insecurity, hunger, injustices, extrajudicial killings, kidnappings, rape, murders that have become a norm in our Nation.

“We are tired of the daily records of deaths in Nigeria while our government is busy giving excuses and empty promises but are swift in crushing dissenting voices. They can crush some voices sometimes, but they can’t crush all voices all times”, it added.

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