Youths from the southern part of Kaduna state took to the streets on Saturday morning to protest the worsening security under the leadership of Governor Nasir el-Rufai.
The youths, who gathered at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, under the aegis of the Southern Kaduna People’s Union, described the killings and kidnapping in Kaduna as alarming.
One of the youths, Jane Thomas-Rogers, who spoke to newsmen said El-Rufai must wake up and rise up to his responsibility and secure the people.
A tearful Thomas-Rogers said, “Children are being raped, women are being raped, people are being killed. Governor Nasir el-Rufai, you need to stand up to your responsibilities and protect lives and properties. For how long is this going to continue? We are tired of these; the killings must end.
“Kidnapping here and there. Before now, kidnapping was an occurrence on Abuja road but right now, it has moved to Southern Kaduna.
“People cannot sleep with their eyes closed, we are scared of going to Kaduna. Just recently, my cousin was kidnapped, we had to pay ransom before he was released; we couldn’t sleep.
“What is happening? And our governor does not even have sympathy for our plight as a people. This carnage must stop, enough is this.
“We are calling the attention of the international community to this. Our government is sleeping, something must be done.
“We call on all Nigerians to speak up against this. It started in Southern Kaduna, it can reach your doorstep tomorrow.”
“Right now, there is a protest going on and you can see security men all over but when there is killing, kidnapping, you won’t see any of them. What is happening? We the youths are tired, enough of this,” she added.
Kaduna has been a hotbed of heinous crimes lately.
The State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, recently said bandits killed no fewer than 222 and abducted 774 persons, as well as injured 226 persons among them women and minors in the state, between April and June 2021.
