The reinstated Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, has called for calm and urged parents in Kano to prevent their children and wards from participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests. This appeal comes in the wake of violent demonstrations that resulted in widespread looting, destruction, and the tragic deaths of protesters.
A day after the unrest, which included the burning of the Kano Government Printing Press, Emir Sanusi addressed the media at his palace. He described the events as a significant setback for the state’s development initiatives and a sorrowful moment for Kano.”Today is a sad day for the people of Kano as we reflect on the events of yesterday,” Sanusi said. “The violence was what scholars and leaders had warned about—the possibility that miscreants and agents of destruction would hijack peaceful demonstrations to cause mayhem. This has led to loss of lives and destruction of property, including the Kano Government Printing Press, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and injuries to countless people.”Sanusi highlighted the broader impact of the violence, stressing that it harms Kano and its innocent residents. “The young people who died are our children, and the property that was burned and stolen belongs to the people of Kano.
We have set ourselves back. The printing press that was burned will have to be rebuilt, the machines replaced, and these are funds that could have gone into youth empowerment, poverty alleviation, education, healthcare, and nutrition—addressing the very problems we are protesting against.”The Emir also emphasized the destruction of the Digital Centre of Excellence built by the NCC, which was intended to educate and train the youth. “I had personally spoken to the minister, and I am aware that he was due to come next week to commission this center along with the Governor. We have vandalized and destroyed the computers; we have wasted hundreds of millions of Naira that was supposed to be an investment in human capital,” he lamented.
Sanusi urged the people of Kano to avoid a repeat of the previous day’s events and to remain vigilant against being deceived into further violence. “Parents should advise their children. Ward heads, district heads, and imams should help our people understand that this violence only hurts Kano and sets us back. Nobody is going to come fix our problems.”In his concluding remarks, Sanusi offered prayers for the deceased, called for the restoration of looted wealth, and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. He appealed to the people to maintain peace, cooperate with security agencies, and refuse to buy stolen goods, encouraging young men and women to return stolen items to their rightful owners.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Kano Printing Press, Alhaji Yahaya Muhammad Idris, had written to the Commissioner of Police on July 29, appealing for action on an intelligence report about hoodlums planning to invade the press house. Unfortunately, no action was taken, and the press house was razed to the ground, with offset lithography and letterpress printing machines burned down by thugs, as reported by Kwankwasiyya Online.
Efforts to reach staff members and management of the Kano Printing Press have so far been unsuccessful.
