Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano has set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to unravel the real sponsors of the End Bad Governance protest, which led to the destruction of property in the state and diligently prosecuted them.
Speaking while inaugurating the 14-Man Commission at the Government House on Monday, Governor Yusuf said this is a pledge I made, to set up this Commission regarding the senseless destruction of properties and killings of innocent lives.
The Governor reminded that the protests started peacefully but were hijacked by enemies of the state, saying, “It is on notice that I had earlier on before the protests at a town hold meeting in the Government House, before all the stakeholders, acknowledged the Constitutionality of the peaceful protests and also pledged to receive them at the Government House.”.
He said, “From the beginning of the protests no single protester had any weapons on him from where they converged at Gidan MURTALA to Government House. These peaceful protesters were received at the gate of the government house by security agents but while they were waiting for me to receive them we had an unfortunate situation with hundreds of other dangerous persons with weapons coming to the gathering, attacking peaceful protesters.
He said, “It took the security almost three hours to disperse them, they went on destroying many public buildings including the NCC building.”
“They destroyed the High Court with six Justices offices, files of highly placed cases were stolen of which the Commission is to deeply investigate the matter, including stealing of a Judge’s wigg, they went to the oldest Printing Press in Nigeria and destroyed everything, they went violent killing and attacking people.”
The Governor noted that those on the Commission were men of integrity, with the courage to do what is right not minding whose ox is gored.
“Things have to change if we have to move this nation forward we shouldn’t be allowing killings of innocent lives we shouldn’t allow any selfish individual no matter his position in the country to undermine our peace,” he warned.
He said the Terms of reference have been clearly spelt out but the Commission has the liberty to also add and invite anybody who will give a contribution to their deliberations, assuring that the government will never interfere with the commission’s activities.
He advised that “whoever is guilty or found guilty, should be prosecuted and innocent ones allowed to go and good recommendations given to the government on how to forestall further occurrence of what had happened.”
The Chairman of the Commission, Retired Justice Lawan Wada Mahmud, promised to carry out the function of the Commission without fear or favour.