In the aftermath of the nationwide #Endbadgovernance protests that took place on August 1, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has called on security agencies to focus their efforts on identifying and prosecuting the real perpetrators behind the unrest, rather than targeting innocent minors who were caught up in the protests.
Speaking at a visit to the Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital in Kano on November 6, where several of the freed minors are undergoing rehabilitation, Emir Sanusi expressed his concerns over the treatment of the children. “On interviewing them (the freed minors), many of them are students who go to school. They were picked up in the streets, not in the middle of the violent act,” the Emir explained. “It is sad that they received this treatment.”
He further emphasized that while the minors were wrongfully detained, he was grateful to the presidency and the federal government for intervening and ending their suffering. “If this had continued, I am sure many of them would have lost their lives,” he added.
The Emir also urged the authorities to focus on those who instigated the protests. “We hope that in the interest of justice, when things of this nature happen, we will identify the real culprits and arrest them and try them, rather than innocent children,” he stated. Sanusi pointed out that, despite the identification of several individuals involved in the Kano protests, those responsible have been allowed to walk free, while children have borne the brunt of the crackdown.
President Bola Tinubu and Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State were both praised by the Emir for their roles in ensuring the release of the detained minors. “We thanked the presidency and federal government for intervening and bringing an end to their difficulties,” Sanusi said.
While the Emir called for justice, Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano also delivered a stern warning to the 76 freed minors. The Governor, who visited the children at the Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital in Kano, cautioned them against engaging in future violent protests. Speaking in Hausa, Governor Yusuf urged the children to be voices of reason. “Do not engage in any form of violent protest. Wherever you see youths want to stage a protest, preach against it to them,” he instructed.
Governor Yusuf made it clear that the experience should serve as a lesson to the children, urging them to become advocates for peace. “You are now the ones to preach against it to others,” he said, emphasizing the importance of promoting nonviolent means of protest.
The Governor also addressed the children’s future, promising that the state government would support their educational and vocational aspirations. “The commissioner of education will engage with them on their educational status, and those who are out of school will be returned to school,” Governor Yusuf announced. He added that financial assistance would be provided to minors engaged in businesses, allowing them to either continue or start new ventures.
The children will remain in the hospital for a period of four to five days to undergo thorough medical checks. “We want to ensure they are mentally and physically stable before reuniting them with their families and reintegrating them into society,” the Governor noted.
In Kaduna, 39 minors who were also freed by the federal government were reunited with their families. The children, who were mostly from Kaduna State, received both financial assistance and mobile phones as part of their rehabilitation. Each child was given N100,000 and an Itel A18 Android phone by the state government.
During the reunion ceremony at the “Children Homes” on Katuru Road in Kaduna, Governor Uba Sani’s representative, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Abdulkadir Muazu Meyere, expressed the governor’s commitment to the children’s future. “The Governor promised that some of them will be given start-up capital to commence trading, others will be taught skills, and some will be given employment,” Dr. Meyere stated.
The state government also plans to support the educational and career ambitions of the children. “The Governor has directed that we collect the credentials of those who have completed their tertiary education,” he added. This initiative is part of the state’s broader efforts to rehabilitate and empower the minors, ensuring they grow into responsible, law-abiding members of society.
The rehabilitation of the children continues to draw attention to the broader issue of youth involvement in protests and unrest. Both Kano and Kaduna States are committed to reintegrating the minors into society and providing them with opportunities for a better future.
This ongoing dialogue about justice and rehabilitation has raised questions about the appropriate response to youth participation in protests, as well as the role of the government in addressing the root causes of such unrest.
As the country continues to grapple with the aftermath of the August 1 protests, the calls from both the Emir of Kano and the state governors for justice and reform highlight a growing recognition of the need for more measured and responsible approaches to handling civil unrest.
