Say: “Our mumu don too much; leave us alone… bamuyi”

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–Pix(above, R-L): The vandalised presidential helicopter and the rampaging youths

Angry Kano youths, on Monday, went gaga and stoned President Muhammadu Buhari, vandalising his presidential helicopter and motor convoy in a display of severe anger over debilitating hardship in the country. This happened when the president was in the state to commission some projects completed by federal and state governments.

During the demonstration of craze, as Fela would put it, the youths who, particularly, targeted him and his vehicular convoy, wantonly damaged his presidential helicopter, especially its windscreen, while pouring all manner of invectives on the president.

Like in his home state of Katsina, where his statesmen set up bonfires along the Yahaya Madaki Way, a few metres from the Underpass project site, while shouting in Hausa: ‘We don’t need you anymore;’ ‘we’re not doing again; our mumu don do, e don do, this time in Kano, they were additionally shouting, ‘our mumu don too much’, leave us alone, bamuyi, bamuyi (meaning ‘we are no longer interested).

A viral video showed a mass of youths violently denouncing the government as they engaged some policemen along the road.

They also threw stones at the convoy of state government officials (rushing out of the scene) for daring to bring the president to the state at this time of severe hardship, despite promising citizens that the governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, had written the Presidency to postpone the visit.

The State Online had earlier reported that Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, had confirmed that he sent a letter to the Presidency to seek the suspension of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state for commissioning of projects, over endemic hardship in the country, arising from scarcity of virtually everything, including the newly redesigned naira notes as well as the premium motor spirit, aka, fuel.

The president was expected to pay a one-day visit to the state on Monday, January 30, 2023.

The governor had said because the present mood of citizens in the state is horrible on account of the endemic hardship in the country, arising from scarcity of virtually everything, including the two very essential things, a presidential visit to the state at this time was not advisable, to avert similar disgrace meted out to him during his working visit to his home state of Katsina on Thursday, January 26, during which they mercilessly booed him.

 In his letter to the Presidency, Gov Ganduje said he, particularly harped on the president’s safety, noting that Kano and Katsina being two sides of a coin, a similar development was highly expected.  

He made this known during interactive session with scholars, legislators, political leaders, and business community in the state at Government House, Kano, adding, essentially, that the decision was taken to avoid any unforeseen circumstance.

But barely hours after confirming this through his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, he spoke with journalists on Sunday, after meeting with President Buhari in Katsina, that he (Buhari) was now free to come to Kano. 

 

 

 

 

He told journalists: “We are now very much ready to receive him and we have a lot for him to commission, including federal government projects as well as state government projects. They are state-of-the-art projects,” prompting the president to be on his way to Kano oblivious of the impending mayhem.

 

Buhari’s attack came after he had commissioned some completed projects, including the Dala Inland Dry Port; Hadeija Valley Irrigation scheme, Jigawa bordering Kano State; Aliko Dangote Ultra-Modern Skill Acquisition Centre, Zaria Road; Federal Government Housing Units at Gandun Sarki, Darmanawa, among others.

 

But reacting to the unfortunate Kano incident, Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, heaped the blame on the door step of major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which he accused of trying to build mountain out of the ant hill.

Shehu said: “We have seen fake reports of stone-pelting incident that took place at Hotoro area of Kano on the day of the visit to the city by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, an incident, even if minor, that should stand condemned by all well-meaning citizens.

“Facts on ground as rendered by the law enforcement agencies speak of a clash between the local road transport authorities, the Kano Road Transport Authority, KAROTA,  and thugs hired by a yet-to-be identified group that took place when the President was being treated to a banquet at the Government House, well after he had finished his projects commissioning.

“The President was in the state to work the development, safety and security of the lives of common citizens and the happy thing about it was that the good people of Kano State were appreciative of him for the progress the state and the nation at large are making under him. 

“The divisive rhetoric of an opposition in a futile attempt to malign the image of the President and the candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the coming elections, and its desperate wedge-driving activities to cause a division between the party and the government is not what will give them victory.

“A so-called leading opposition party that controls 14 states, going into elections with eight or nine of the states in tow should look inwards to see why their campaign is flagging and destined to fail. Their defeat is a story foretold by many discerning individuals. 

“The stone-pelters as seen from the video in the fight against the traffic police were innocent children sponsored by politicians and terrorist sympathizers. There is no place for violence in a democracy.

“The PDP should use the opportunity of the electioneering to put their point of view in a democracy. When problems can be resolved through talks, there is no place for stone-pelting, arson and unruly behavior as we are witnessing in some of the campaigns.

“It is equally unhealthy for society and it becomes the duty of political, social and religious leaders to correctly inform the misled youngsters to shun the path of violence which is inimical to their own future.

“Lastly is to say that the President has not lost his command and respect in Kano. For those who hold the border closure against him, they must come to realise that the 60-70 integrated rice mills in the city today would not have been in place if he had allowed the free-for-all smuggling to continue./SHARE THIS

• Tags: PMB, Gov Abdullahi Ganduje, Garba Shehu, Kano youths