Forum urges FG, states to address youth-led grievances, deliver good governance

Federal and State Governments have been charged to face a crucial call to deliver the good governance that citizens, particularly the youth, have long awaited.

This sentiment was emphasized by the Ulama Forum, which revisited the August 2024 “End Bad Governance” protest, urging authorities to address the root causes of the unrest rather than dismissing it.

According to the forum, Nigerian youths had provided the government with ample time to respond to their grievances, but were met instead with what they described as “a tardy and inadequate appreciation of the depth of anger and dissatisfaction.”

SolaceBase reports that the protest, held from August 1 to 10, drew Nigerian youth to the streets to voice concerns over inflation, diminished purchasing power, and pervasive insecurity.

The forum, in a statement jointly signed by Convenor Aminu Inuwa Muhammad and Secretary Basheer Adamu Aliyu, on Thursday, noted that government officials “took unnecessary time to threaten the organisers rather than prepare with all the necessary measures available to the states.”

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The Ulama Forum reflected on the aftermath of the protest, which took a violent turn in some states, leading to the tragic loss of lives and damage to public and private properties.

“The protest evidently took unlawful and violent dimensions in a number of states, as against the initial publicised objectives of the organisers,” they stated, attributing the escalation to frustration with governance failures.

In response to the protests, the authorities have charged numerous individuals, including minors, with sedition and treason, sparking public concern over reports of inhumane treatment.

The Ulama Forum emphasized that “the Judiciary should abide by the strict procedures of litigation by ensuring that justice is not only done but is seen to be done.”

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They further urged judges to handle cases involving minors with caution, stressing that judges must avoid being “seen to be dancing to the tune of prosecuting agencies.”

Additionally, the forum highlighted the need for Nigeria’s police to be equipped with modern resources.

“Our Police should be modernised to meet the challenge of 21st-century policing which is technology-driven,” they said, arguing that outdated policing capabilities undermine effective law enforcement.

The forum criticized State Governors who often challenge federal overreach, noting that they “look the other way when citizens of their States (including minors) were taken to Abuja to be tried before the Federal High Court” on what they described as primarily state-level offenses.

The Ulama Forum also urged the Federal Government to act with “responsibility, justice, and compassion” in addressing the public’s concerns, underscoring that sustainable peace and security depend on a genuine commitment to the needs and aspirations of the Nigerian people.