Buhari salutes Bauchi youths for shunning #ENDSARS protests, directs engagements across geopolitical zones

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, commended youths in Bauchi State for resisting the temptation to partake in the #EndSARS protests that later degenerated into violence and looting of public and private property.
Buhari gave the commendation on Monday in Bauchi at a Town Hall meeting to discuss issues affecting the people.
Represented by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, Buhari said he was impressed with the Bauchi youths for their display of maturity in shunning the misguided agitation.
He quoted the president as appreciating the maturity displayed by the youth of Bauchi in not being part of the misdirected agitation.
He said that Buhari was particularly shocked that the protesters became violent even after their grievances were promptly addressed.
Adamu quoted Buhari as declaring that he was “very happy with the government and people of Bauchi state for their exceptional maturity in responding to national challenges such as the recent #ENDSARS protests”.
According to him, the President will continue to reciprocate the good gesture of the government and good people of the state.
“As your representatives in government, we are very proud of the comportment of the youth in particular, and the generality of the people in the state, in the face of current hardship.
“We are also aware that the hardship has been compounded by the economic downtown occasioned by the global crash in the prices of oil, and the ravaging effects of COVID-19 pandemic.
“Notwithstanding the hardship, you were wise enough not to adopt a solution which will inflict more hardship than the initial problem,” he noted.
The education minister reiterated that the Federal government had made security of lives and property a cornerstone of its operations and would continue to tackle the security challenges of the nation.
Adamu pointed out that the North-East geo-political zone had already suffered enough of untold hardship due to the atrocities committed by Boko Haram insurgents, bandits and other miscreants.
He urged the youth to resist instigation by some subversive elements to cause chaos and socio-economic disruption in the country.
Adamu further said that the Federal Government was dialoguing with local communities to understand their grievances so as to find lasting solutions to them.
Also, Buhari has directed engagements with governors, traditional rulers, youths and other critical stakeholders across geo-political zones in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protest.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced this on Monday in Kaduna after a closed-door meeting of a Federal Government delegation with the 19 Northern governors and traditional rulers.
The Federal Government delegation to the meeting was led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
Other members of the delegation were the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
The Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan, and  some members of the National Assembly from the region were also in attendance.
Speaking on behalf of the Federal Government delegation, the Information and Culture Minister said the engagements are  critical to reconciliation and national development.
“This is just the first leg in the series of the engagements as directed by Mr President.
“The Chief of Staff will also address governors, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in other parts of the country.
” The president has directed that the delegation should engage with governors, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youths and others,” he said.
On the closed door meeting, the minister said those at the forum had fruitful discussions which comprehensively centred on the recent events in the country in the last two and half weeks.
“We made far reaching decisions and we are happy that the governors and the traditional rulers did very well in ensuring that the youths understood the real issues.
“Because of their influence, there was very minimal destruction,” he said.
The minister added that apart from the resolve to continue to engage the youths, the meeting underscored the role of traditional rulers and the need to engage them continually.
The meeting hosted by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State was attended by most of the governors from the North.
Some of the traditional rulers that also attended the meeting were the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Bamalli and his Kano counterpart, Aminu Ado Bayero.