Security operatives, comprising personnel of the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Security Service (DSS) on Wednesday sealed the Kano Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) over planned protests by some youths in the state.
The youth have planned to use the Press Centre as the venue of a peaceful protest against the worsening insecurity in the Northern part of the country.
However, the protest did not hold as security vehicles with fully armed personnel were stationed along the street leading to the Press Centre, while the gate of the Press Centre was shut.
One of the conveners, Abba Hikima, said that while the citizens could no longer sleep with their eyes closed, the government was not showing any seriousness in tackling the insecurity bedevilling the country.
“Our leaders don’t seem to care but are only concerned about things that are not important – book launches and others,” he said.
“That is why we are here to call on this government that we are the electorates that send them over there. They are supposed to be our servants.
“Constitution of Nigeria confers sovereignty on the people of this country. We have it, not the leaders. They should wake up to their responsibilities and do what they have to do . We will come here to protest and protest forever until they do what they have to do.
“We don’t have to write to the police or anybody before we can come out and protest. This is a decision of the court and this is the provision of section 39 in the Constitution of Nigeria.”
Kano state chairman of NUJ, Abbas Ibrahim, said the group had informed the union executive of holding a press briefing in the centre, but not to stage a protest.
“We have not granted any permission to anybody to come here and start a protest,” he said.
