Arewa Group Suspends Protests, Decries Violence

Thousands of young people under the auspices of the Arewa Revival Socio-Cultural Group have formally suspended their participation in the nationwide protest against hardship and the high cost of living, citing violence and criminality as major reasons.

In a press release issued yesterday, the group’s spokesman, Mukhtar Abubakar, said they had been in discussions with the National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) which had earlier warned of a possible hijack of the protest by unpatriotic and pervasive elements.

He added that the original intention of the protest was to peacefully and civilly drive home demands for a more responsible and responsive government, but that the ugly developments compelled them to heed the advice of the Civil Society Council and call off the protest.

However, affirming that the Arewa Revival is only suspending participation temporarily to monitor the government’s reaction and the nation’s mood, he said the group may return to the field if immediate interventions and measures are not taken by the federal and state governments to address the protest demands.

Mukthar said the Arewa Revival was suspending participation in the protest for the next three days, based on discussions and agreements reached with the NCSCN leadership. The group urged President Bola Tinubu to address the protesters’ demands.