The timely arrival of Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello on Thursday brought peace to Maje and Suleja townships following an early hour protest by some youth over an alleged disappearance of the Suleja Local Government Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Maje.
In a statement made available to New Dawn and signed by Jide Orintunsin,
Media and Publicity Coordinator to the Governor, some aggrieved youths had in the early hours obstructed vehicular movement by blocking the Minna-Suleja highway in protest of an alleged abuduction of their Council Chairman by unknown gunmen and demanded for his release.
Governor Sani Bello who was on his way to Abuja to attend a Progressives Governors Forum meeting ran into a long queue of trailers and tankers at Mallam Karo village, few kilometers to Maje due to the protest and met with the youths and persuaded them to allow peace in the area.
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He then directed representatives of the leaders of the protesting youth to assemble at the Palace of the Emir of Suleja, Mallam Mohammed Awwal Ibrahim to find solution to their grievances.
The governor and the Emir then had a closed door meeting with the leaders of the aggrieved youths where the two leaders appealed to them to allow peace to reign and directed security agencies in the state to ensure that peace is restored in the area.
The governor condemned the situation that led to the protest by the youth and cautioned that nobody is permitted to breach the peace of the society by engaging in unconstitutional activities.
According to the governor at the meeting, “The situation we witnessed today is not part of the ways of our people, the state has been known to be a peaceful state, therefore we will not tolerate any individual or group of persons who want to cause confusion in the state.
“So far, we have had a peaceful primary elections in the state without issues. I called on all political aspirants to caution and guard their supporters to play politics in accordance with the rules.
“Nobody is permitted to take laws into his or her hands. Security agencies have been directed to ensure peace and I want to enjoin all and sundry to go after their businesses.”
Just as the closed door meeting was in progress, the council chairman, whose whereabouts have been declared unknown walked into the meeting.
A development that finally doused the tension in the commercial city.
Peace has since returned to the towns as motorists and residents are going about their businesses unhindered.
