The convoy of Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, was recently attacked by some angry youths in Kano State.
Development Diaries reports that the president went to the northwestern state for the inauguration of seven legacy projects of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
Ganduje had before the president’s trip requested the president to postpone the planned visit due to security concerns and complaints from citizens about difficulty in obtaining the new naira notes.
In a turn of events, just 24 hours after Ganduje’s request, he made another statement saying Kano State was prepared to receive the president.
Awareness gap
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has not done enough in the area of awareness and sensitisation of Nigerians, especially citizens in rural areas, to the cashless policy and the new naira notes.
Many Nigerians in rural areas barely understand what the apex bank is trying to achieve, and many of them are just frustrated at being unable to make daily transactions easily due to several limiting factors.
When people are angry and do not have the right information, they could decide to express their anger in different ways.
An attack on the convoy of the president by youths in Kano shows the extent uninformed persons will go to display their anger.
If proper sensitisation at the grassroots had been planned for and effectively executed immediately the CBN announced its plans, it would have prevented this communication gap.
Attacks on politicians
Attack on politicians by hoodlums is gradually becoming a regular occurrence in Nigeria, hence it should be stopped before it gets out of hand.
Earlier in January 2023, the convoy of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was attacked by thugs in Katsina State.
Also, in November 2022, the convoy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was attacked by hoodlums and several persons were injured.
Before that attack on Atiku’s convoy, there were reports of an attack on the convoy of the senator representing Anambra South senatorial district.
It is about time Nigerian citizens understood that violence is not an answer. Attacking politicians would not solve the myriads of problems bedeviling the country.
Citizens should learn to take their anger to the polls and vote for the right candidates that will have the interest of the people at heart, instead of resorting to violence.
Politicians, on the other hand, should speak to their various supporters and encourage them to eschew violence as it would only worsen matters.
