By Bade Abdullahi
Without an iota of doubt, the #EndBagGovernace or what was dubbed as Hunger Protest in Kaduna State, was far beyond the ordinary. No one needs the services of a soothsayer to know that an unseen hand of subversive fifth columnists was right at the background directing the ugly and condemnable trajectory the protest took on Monday.
If there was one state whose government has done very well in comparative terms since May 29, 2023, it is Kaduna State. If there was a state where the government has been up and running, it was Kaduna state. So, it was a thing of huge surprise that a well orchestrated orgy of violence could be imported and unleashed on the state by forces that meant no good for the people. There was clearly, an agenda to set the state back by those who profit only from violence and disorder.
It is more than visible that as far as commitments to alleviating the plight of the common man goes, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, ranks among the leading governors in the North. Since he took over the reins of government in the North Western state, he has consciously and in a very intentional way, focused on correcting the horrendous memories of the last administration. It was an era marked by polarizing the people and which made hate rather than love, division than unity and several other divide and rule tactics the order of the day.
Moreover, Governor Uba Sani also made sure that the rural areas of the state got more than just a passing mention in government circles. He focused on giving these long neglected areas a huge sense of belonging and has made them to feel the presence of government through several heartwarming policies and projects.
And in recognition of his pragmatic approach to governance which stands in sharp contrast to the previous administration and which has immediately opened a new vista of hope for the people in all front, an invaluable vote of confidence was passed on Governor Uba Sani by the All Progressives Congress (APC) family in the state not long ago.
That action at a well attended meeting of who is who in the state, suggested that the people and the government are in sync and on the same page of a new social contract for peace, unity, proper integration and development of the state. But retrogressive forces in pretentious elite garbs in the state would not want to see that come to fruition.
Therefore, the Kaduna State helmsman, Governor Uba Sani, made no mistakes in identifying and rightly attributing the condemnable pattern the hungry protest took on Monday, to external intervention. From all indications, the way the protests unfolded in the state was such that it has all the imprimatur of external sponsors other than the known leaders of the protest in the state.
How could a people go on protest on Thursday, get dispersed by security operatives, only to go home and rest for three days, strategizing tactically, reinforced its mobilisation of participants and resumed on Monday with such ferocious vehemence if not sponsored?
It must be noted that there was no protest in Kaduna on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Kaduna must be the only state where the protesters broke up for three days only to resume with sinister agenda far beyond what was anticipated by the authorities.The bizarre display on Monday of the flag of another nation can only explain the extent of the dastardly plan of the unseen forces behind the violent protests.
Unfolding and flying another country’s flag was not the only criminal activities embarked upon by the recruited brigands and hoodlums. They wantonly continued on vandalization and looting spree of public and private property including a bank.
For a proactive government unfazed by the sinister agenda of the fifth columnists, taking steps to immediately halt the advancement of the treasonable act was a necessity.
Therefore, the development forced the State Government to impose a 24-hour curfew on the Kaduna and Zaria Metropolitan cities on Monday. Governor Sani, while expressing his concern for the innocent residents affected, including those who could not earn a living or go to the market due to the curfew, explain that it was necessary to take control of the affairs of the state from non-state actors vent on achieving their evil enterprises.
Governor Sani rightly attributed the development of the day to external influences, citing the involvement of children aged between 9-14 waving flags of another country. Only and unconscionable fifth columnists would prey on the innocent and impressionable minds of young men and women to achieve their evil agenda.
Governor Sani was right in dismissing the notion that the protests were about bad governance or hunger, and suggesting that initial genuine protesters were hijacked by sponsored elements exploiting uneducated and underage children. He was also right in commending the security forces for their professional handling of the situation, allowing underage children to climb on police vehicles without resorting to force.
It gladdens the heart that already an investigation is on as the governor was quoted as saying that, “an investigation into the matter is ongoing”.
This is most necessary because the goal of the phase two of the protest was clear — create a state of chaos, anarchy and general disorder to erode the massive gains of the last 14 months in the state, and have cause not only to malign but to also have a basis for ridiculing the government of the state as inefficient and incompetent. However, that plan fell through miserably.
The people have their state back and those arrested must be made to give clues about their sponsors and together face the full force of the law of the land. This must be done to serve as a deterrent to would be subversive fifth columnists planning to unleash further mayhem on the state and country.
Governor Uba Sani has since made an on the spot assessment of the situation to get first hand information on the extent of damages done across the state. He firmly assured that, “An investigation into the matter is ongoing.” It is the right thing to do in the present circumstance.