#EndSARS: NYCN rallies youths against looting, destruction of properties

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has expressed concerns over the mindless looting and destruction of private and public properties by hoodlums across the country.

NYCN president, Solomon Adodo, while speaking with reporters in Abuja, Monday said it was unfortunate that the #EndSARS protest was being hijacked by unpatriotic elements bent on wrecking government and the hapless citizens of their investments. 

The group urged Nigerian youths to forge a common front and fight against those perpetrating the dastardly act.

The group called on religious leaders, leaders of socio-cultural groups and opinion molders to use the period to spread the message of peace, healing and national unity. 

The group assured all Nigerian youths that it will follow up on government promises to ensure that the earlier patriotic demands of the #EndSARS protesters are met. 

It noted: “Sadly, there are anarchists, criminals and hoodlums on the loose under the guise of protesting. Secessionist groups, hard-line criminals and disgruntled politicians are now on a pseudo war with the government and the country.

“We are only being manipulated with concocted falsehood and twisted stories, fake news and inflammatory statements. We need to be really circumspect and very calm now.

“Lives have been lost and tempers are high. But the mindless looting and destruction of private and public properties in the midst of our infrastructure deficit and economic challenges have no cogent justification. 

“There is no relationship between peaceful protest which is lawful and patriotic, and looting, arson, secession and the drumbeat of tribal or religious wars. 

“The Nigerian youth is reminded that our national infrastructure is a commonwealth. They should be protected. As youth, we must shun every and any divisive message laced with religious or ethnocentric undertones that are capable of putting us against one another. 

“We have also set up an independent platform to expeditiously address the other challenges faced by the youth. We therefore reiterate our advice to Nigerian youth to calm down, remain law abiding and allow government to do the needful. 

“We must avoid any temptation to join the orchestrated criminality which is sweeping across the country under different names and guises. No responsible people can allow or support a total unwarranted breakdown of law and order. And the NYCN will not support that. The government itself will not tolerate that. Life has no spare. Please do not join criminals in their depravity as the full weight of the law will have its wrath visited on all culprits.”

The youth council also advised all the state governors still withholding palliatives to immediately distribute same to the masses and other cushioning measures deployed to assuage the plight of the poor.

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