The Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF), an alliance of 42 northern youth organizations, has declared that its members will abstain from the upcoming nationwide protest against hunger and poor governance.
Elliot Afiyo, the National President of the forum, made this announcement in a statement released to journalists on Sunday.
The protest, named #EndBadGovernance, is set to occur across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory from August 1 to 10, in response to the increasing economic hardship in the country.
However, the forum claims that the protest is intended to destabilize Nigeria, particularly the northern region and Abuja, by causing widespread destruction of government infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and railways.
Afiyo stated, “While recognizing that protests are a legal and constitutional way for citizens to express dissatisfaction with the government, it is important to consider the timing, method, capacity, environment, and necessity of such protests before proceeding. Given these factors, we wish to expose the dangerous signals, schedules, strategies, planned activities, and operational guidelines set by the organizers of these protests.”
He further noted, “Although the NYLF was initially prepared to participate by mobilizing northern youth, after receiving intelligence reports and briefings, the NYLF has decided not only to withdraw from the protests but also to ensure that they do not take place at all.”