KATSINA: Coalition of Northern Groups to begin protest today over students’ abductions

THE Arewa socio-cultural organisation under the aegis of the Coalition of Northern Groups has vowed to begin a protest today to show its displeasure at the abduction of 333 students of Government Science Secondary School in Kankara and demand their freedom from the clutches of their abductors

According to the group, their members from Jigawa, Kano and Katsina will join the proposed protest which is meant to compel the government to act fast before something untoward happens to the students.

The group added that the protest would be led by the Chairman, Board of Trustees of CNG, Nastura Ashir Sharif.

The spokesperson for the CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said these in a statement on Wednesday titled, ‘CNG storms Katsina, to kick off #Bringbackourboys protests Thursday’.

The CNG spokesman, in his statement, said, “The exercise, harsh tagged #Bringbackourboys, which will kick off in Katsina on Thursday, is expected to proceed to Daura to register the current concerns with Mr President.

“Led by its Board of Trustees Chairman Nastura Ashir Shariff, the CNG is already in touch with parents of the stolen schoolchildren and assured them of support through this trial moment.

“It will be unreasonable to expect any northerner and well-meaning Nigerians to fold their arms and watch the North, a significant component of the country, abandoned to the mercy of bandits, murderers and kidnappers.

“The police in Katsina are seen in a massive reinforcement around the state which calls for caution on the part of authorities against attempts at suppressing legitimate protests that will be conducted peacefully.”

Meanwhile, some residents of the state on Wednesday opposed the planned protest, saying efforts should be concentrated on how to rescue the students.

CNG’s meeting in Kaduna on Monday was disrupted by hoodlums who were said to be armed with cudgels and cutlasses among other weapons.