From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State chapter, has condemned the wanton destruction and looting of government properties by hoodlums on the pretext of EndSARS protest and advised the Nigerian Youths to halt the protest for now, since the Federal government and most of the state governors have respectively constituted panel of enquiry aimed at resolving their complaints.
Speaking at the end of an emergency meeting of Ohanaeze Youths, Enugu State chapter, held at Ohanaeze secretariat yesterday, the state youth leader, Comrade Wencelaus Ogbonnia, lamented that miscreants have exploited the opportunity of the peaceful protests to loot and unleash mayhem on public properties.
According to him, the original concept of the EndSARS protest which was an insight to the corrupt and unjust system of governance in Nigeria is in line with the current Ohanaeze leadership under Chief Nnia Nwodo vision of restructuring as a panacea for even development of the country.
He stated, “The Ohanaeze Youth wing, Enugu State chapter and other Youth organizations are not against the peaceful demonstrations and protests to end SARS, other forms of police brutality and bad governance in Nigeria. The demands contained in the protests are some of the ills embedded in the Nigerian system of which the present Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide led by Chief NNIA Nwodo, has been advocating for a proper restructuring of the country, to enhance competition and even development of various parts of the country”
“But the ugly incidences of the last two days, during which miscreants have started burning and looting public properties demands for a halt of the protests. Even as the Federal government and Enugu state government, likewise many other state governors have constituted their own panel of enquiry to resolve the problems of the Nigerian Youths.”
The Movement for actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra(MASSOB) Youth Coordinator in Nkanu West local government area, Comrade Emmanuel Agu, while corroboratedl the Ohanaeze Youth leader’s statement, said the properties that were destroyed by the hoodlums will be rebuilt with the tax payers money.
He concurred to the idea that Nigerian youths have made known their grievances and cautioned the both the Federal and state governments to give serious consideration to the matters raised in the protests. He said it is high time the Nigerian Youths take over the governor of the country. He said the present Nigerian leaders started at a young age but have continued to recycle themselves even when they have overstayed their usefulness.
His words, “Youths are protesting on the impunity of the corruption persisting in our system of governance. We must note that the corrupt elements in government have taken much and built little. They should vacate. Let us learn how to contain our pains.”
Other leaders of Youth organisations in Enugu State that joined Ohanaeze Youths in calling for a cessation of the protests consequent upon it’s hijack by miscreants include Barr Ileana Odoh, the Coordinator ‘Wawa Youths Frontier Worldwide’, Comrade Ugochukwu Nwaigwe, Ohanaeze Youth coordinator in Awgu council area of Enugu State.
Others include Comrade Ogbonna Chukwuebuka,Country representative,Igbo Youth Assembly, Hon Prince Kingsley Edeoga, the Ohanaeze Youth Coordinator for Enugu East local government area, among others.
