Politician and former lawmaker Shehu Sani has attributed the violent turn of the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests in the Northern region to President Bola Tinubu.
The protests, initially against hunger and hardship, turned violent in some northern states, with reports of protesters displaying the Russian flag—a move experts have labeled as treasonable. Reacting to the situation, Sani posted on his X account, placing the blame on President Tinubu.
Sani wrote, “Northern leaders must learn from the recent violent uprising in the region. The President must be held accountable, but he is neither the problem nor the solution. Governors, political, business, religious, traditional leaders, and intellectuals of the region must urgently create and implement a master plan to address the longstanding issues of poverty, illiteracy, chronic underdevelopment, neglect, religious extremism, and terrorism that have plagued the region.”
He continued, “Guns and tanks can suppress the flame but not extinguish the fire. The monster in our homes was not created in a day. The North should look in the mirror, not through a telescope. We have the resources to build our wealth; we shouldn’t be looking for a scapegoat. I believe the Police can recover most of the stolen items during the protests except those bags of rice.”
Sani also noted the potential impact on investment in the region, stating, “Anyone, foreigner or Nigerian, considering investing in our region will now think twice, needing to insure themselves against ransom and riots. Aliko’s wisdom in building near the sea rather than the desert saved him from the desert storm’s rage.”
On Channels Television’s Politics Today, Sani condemned the violence, suggesting it was an attempt to overthrow the government. He alleged that money and foreign flags were distributed among northern youths just before the protests, indicating that the protest’s intent extended beyond dissatisfaction with government policies.
“There was an attempt to create an atmosphere conducive to an overthrow of the government,” Sani said. “When you have this kind of situation, it shows someone is scripting anarchy, lawlessness, and disorder. It is incumbent on people like us to speak out.”