Buhari salutes Bauchi youths for shunning #ENDSARS protests

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday commended the youths in Bauchi 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.

It was reported that President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated high level ministerial delegations to visit various states and interact with stakeholders in the wake of the protests.