Former Deputy Governor Of Plateau State, Sonni Tyoden, has called for sober reflection, understanding and caution on the part of Nigerians on the impending Nationwide protests tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’ slated to commence on the 1st of August.
He made this call while speaking on the state of the nation.
Mr Tyoden while calling for caution said the protest as planned is constitutionally guaranteed but urged organisers to also consider the fact it is prone to hijack by those who are planning to unleash mayhem, chaos and destruction across the nation.
He said organisers should consider the recent antecedents especially the #Endsars protest which shows that concerns raised by the Police and Other Stakeholders are valid.
According to Mr Tyoden, the lessons learnt from the rampage that followed the hijack of the #Endsars protest should not be forgotten so soon.
Going Further, he said the chaos, violence and destruction left a permanent scar on Jos the Plateau State capital which will take decades to heal.
Mr Tyoden said the destruction of government property, provisions meant for Internally Displaced persons and other equipment left the Plateau State government in the red to the tune of Billions.
According to him some of these incidents may never get closure due to the quantum of destruction and the funding needed to address them.
Read Full Statement Below…
So much has been said for and against the impending national protest slated for 1st August 2024 and in the process, a national dialogue has been initiated on the issues that ail us as a nation. This is as it should be. A fundamental point that has been accepted across board is that it is a guaranteed constitutional right to protest and be protected by the police where such protest is peaceful and of no threat to law and order. The concern on the other side is the fear of the protest being hijacked from the path of peace to that of chaos, destruction and violence and this fear, needs not be taken for granted, given past precedents, the latest of which was the End SARS protest. The note of caution here is that, with the benefit of hindsight and of the lessons learnt from the experience of the Endsars, we should not allow history to repeat itself. Going down memory lane and using our State as an example, we are all aware that the Endsars protest started from the State Secretariat on a peaceful note but by the time it reached the Old Airport junction, it had been taken over by hoodlums and the police had to be drafted in to prevent the now unruly crowd from reaching the Government House Rayfield. That notwithstanding, the crowd now zeroed in on other softer targets which at the end left its permanent scars on Jos. These include:
- The looting and destruction of technical equipments worth billions of naira that had been imported and stored in the Technical School, Bukuru.
- The looting and, destruction of palliatives that had been sent to Plateau en-route IDP camps in Southern Plateau by NEMA.
- The looting and destruction of palliatives running into millions of naira purchased and stored at the State’s SEMA stores pending disbursement.
- The looting and destruction of technical and office equipment at the Water Board Office, Bukuru.
- The looting, burning and destruction of equipments that had been imported for the rehabilitation of the Jos International Breweries, Jos.
- The looting and destruction of the multi-billion naira personal house of the former Speaker of the House Representatives Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
- The death of five people in a pond in Laminga.
A committee set up by the Plateau State Government to assess the amount of damage in the State concluded that the damages inflicted on the State run into billions of naira, while the implication was that it would take the State over 10 decades to recover, if ever.
Be that as it may and while appreciating the issues raised by the agitations given the current conjuncture of hardship and suffering, we want to use this opportunity to call for sober reflection, understanding and caution. In the same vein, we call on national leadership to continue on the current trajectory of the search for ameliorating solutions.
In conclusion, may we all learn from the past to save ourselves from the horrors and sufferings of the future. We owe it to ourselves, our children and future generations.
Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden
Former Deputy Governor, Plateau State.
Former Deputy Governor Of Plateau State, Sonni Tyoden, has called for sober reflection, understanding and caution on the part of Nigerians on the impending Nationwide protests tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’ slated to commence on the 1st of August.
He made this call while speaking on the state of the nation.
Mr Tyoden while calling for caution said the protest as planned is constitutionally guaranteed but urged organisers to also consider the fact it is prone to hijack by those who are planning to unleash mayhem, chaos and destruction across the nation.
He said organisers should consider the recent antecedents especially the #Endsars protest which shows that concerns raised by the Police and Other Stakeholders are valid.
According to Mr Tyoden, the lessons learnt from the rampage that followed the hijack of the #Endsars protest should not be forgotten so soon.
Going Further, he said the chaos, violence and destruction left a permanent scar on Jos the Plateau State capital which will take decades to heal.
Mr Tyoden said the destruction of government property, provisions meant for Internally Displaced persons and other equipment left the Plateau State government in the red to the tune of Billions.
According to him some of these incidents may never get closure due to the quantum of destruction and the funding needed to address them.
Read Full Statement Below…
So much has been said for and against the impending national protest slated for 1st August 2024 and in the process, a national dialogue has been initiated on the issues that ail us as a nation. This is as it should be. A fundamental point that has been accepted across board is that it is a guaranteed constitutional right to protest and be protected by the police where such protest is peaceful and of no threat to law and order. The concern on the other side is the fear of the protest being hijacked from the path of peace to that of chaos, destruction and violence and this fear, needs not be taken for granted, given past precedents, the latest of which was the End SARS protest. The note of caution here is that, with the benefit of hindsight and of the lessons learnt from the experience of the Endsars, we should not allow history to repeat itself. Going down memory lane and using our State as an example, we are all aware that the Endsars protest started from the State Secretariat on a peaceful note but by the time it reached the Old Airport junction, it had been taken over by hoodlums and the police had to be drafted in to prevent the now unruly crowd from reaching the Government House Rayfield. That notwithstanding, the crowd now zeroed in on other softer targets which at the end left its permanent scars on Jos. These include:
- The looting and destruction of technical equipments worth billions of naira that had been imported and stored in the Technical School, Bukuru.
- The looting and, destruction of palliatives that had been sent to Plateau en-route IDP camps in Southern Plateau by NEMA.
- The looting and destruction of palliatives running into millions of naira purchased and stored at the State’s SEMA stores pending disbursement.
- The looting and destruction of technical and office equipment at the Water Board Office, Bukuru.
- The looting, burning and destruction of equipments that had been imported for the rehabilitation of the Jos International Breweries, Jos.
- The looting and destruction of the multi-billion naira personal house of the former Speaker of the House Representatives Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
- The death of five people in a pond in Laminga.
A committee set up by the Plateau State Government to assess the amount of damage in the State concluded that the damages inflicted on the State run into billions of naira, while the implication was that it would take the State over 10 decades to recover, if ever.
Be that as it may and while appreciating the issues raised by the agitations given the current conjuncture of hardship and suffering, we want to use this opportunity to call for sober reflection, understanding and caution. In the same vein, we call on national leadership to continue on the current trajectory of the search for ameliorating solutions.
In conclusion, may we all learn from the past to save ourselves from the horrors and sufferings of the future. We owe it to ourselves, our children and future generations.
Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden
Former Deputy Governor, Plateau State.
Former Deputy Governor Of Plateau State, Sonni Tyoden, has called for sober reflection, understanding and caution on the part of Nigerians on the impending Nationwide protests tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’ slated to commence on the 1st of August.
He made this call while speaking on the state of the nation.
Mr Tyoden while calling for caution said the protest as planned is constitutionally guaranteed but urged organisers to also consider the fact it is prone to hijack by those who are planning to unleash mayhem, chaos and destruction across the nation.
He said organisers should consider the recent antecedents especially the #Endsars protest which shows that concerns raised by the Police and Other Stakeholders are valid.
According to Mr Tyoden, the lessons learnt from the rampage that followed the hijack of the #Endsars protest should not be forgotten so soon.
Going Further, he said the chaos, violence and destruction left a permanent scar on Jos the Plateau State capital which will take decades to heal.
Mr Tyoden said the destruction of government property, provisions meant for Internally Displaced persons and other equipment left the Plateau State government in the red to the tune of Billions.
According to him some of these incidents may never get closure due to the quantum of destruction and the funding needed to address them.
Read Full Statement Below…
So much has been said for and against the impending national protest slated for 1st August 2024 and in the process, a national dialogue has been initiated on the issues that ail us as a nation. This is as it should be. A fundamental point that has been accepted across board is that it is a guaranteed constitutional right to protest and be protected by the police where such protest is peaceful and of no threat to law and order. The concern on the other side is the fear of the protest being hijacked from the path of peace to that of chaos, destruction and violence and this fear, needs not be taken for granted, given past precedents, the latest of which was the End SARS protest. The note of caution here is that, with the benefit of hindsight and of the lessons learnt from the experience of the Endsars, we should not allow history to repeat itself. Going down memory lane and using our State as an example, we are all aware that the Endsars protest started from the State Secretariat on a peaceful note but by the time it reached the Old Airport junction, it had been taken over by hoodlums and the police had to be drafted in to prevent the now unruly crowd from reaching the Government House Rayfield. That notwithstanding, the crowd now zeroed in on other softer targets which at the end left its permanent scars on Jos. These include:
- The looting and destruction of technical equipments worth billions of naira that had been imported and stored in the Technical School, Bukuru.
- The looting and, destruction of palliatives that had been sent to Plateau en-route IDP camps in Southern Plateau by NEMA.
- The looting and destruction of palliatives running into millions of naira purchased and stored at the State’s SEMA stores pending disbursement.
- The looting and destruction of technical and office equipment at the Water Board Office, Bukuru.
- The looting, burning and destruction of equipments that had been imported for the rehabilitation of the Jos International Breweries, Jos.
- The looting and destruction of the multi-billion naira personal house of the former Speaker of the House Representatives Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
- The death of five people in a pond in Laminga.
A committee set up by the Plateau State Government to assess the amount of damage in the State concluded that the damages inflicted on the State run into billions of naira, while the implication was that it would take the State over 10 decades to recover, if ever.
Be that as it may and while appreciating the issues raised by the agitations given the current conjuncture of hardship and suffering, we want to use this opportunity to call for sober reflection, understanding and caution. In the same vein, we call on national leadership to continue on the current trajectory of the search for ameliorating solutions.
In conclusion, may we all learn from the past to save ourselves from the horrors and sufferings of the future. We owe it to ourselves, our children and future generations.
Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden
Former Deputy Governor, Plateau State.
Former Deputy Governor Of Plateau State, Sonni Tyoden, has called for sober reflection, understanding and caution on the part of Nigerians on the impending Nationwide protests tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’ slated to commence on the 1st of August.
He made this call while speaking on the state of the nation.
Mr Tyoden while calling for caution said the protest as planned is constitutionally guaranteed but urged organisers to also consider the fact it is prone to hijack by those who are planning to unleash mayhem, chaos and destruction across the nation.
He said organisers should consider the recent antecedents especially the #Endsars protest which shows that concerns raised by the Police and Other Stakeholders are valid.
According to Mr Tyoden, the lessons learnt from the rampage that followed the hijack of the #Endsars protest should not be forgotten so soon.
Going Further, he said the chaos, violence and destruction left a permanent scar on Jos the Plateau State capital which will take decades to heal.
Mr Tyoden said the destruction of government property, provisions meant for Internally Displaced persons and other equipment left the Plateau State government in the red to the tune of Billions.
According to him some of these incidents may never get closure due to the quantum of destruction and the funding needed to address them.
Read Full Statement Below…
So much has been said for and against the impending national protest slated for 1st August 2024 and in the process, a national dialogue has been initiated on the issues that ail us as a nation. This is as it should be. A fundamental point that has been accepted across board is that it is a guaranteed constitutional right to protest and be protected by the police where such protest is peaceful and of no threat to law and order. The concern on the other side is the fear of the protest being hijacked from the path of peace to that of chaos, destruction and violence and this fear, needs not be taken for granted, given past precedents, the latest of which was the End SARS protest. The note of caution here is that, with the benefit of hindsight and of the lessons learnt from the experience of the Endsars, we should not allow history to repeat itself. Going down memory lane and using our State as an example, we are all aware that the Endsars protest started from the State Secretariat on a peaceful note but by the time it reached the Old Airport junction, it had been taken over by hoodlums and the police had to be drafted in to prevent the now unruly crowd from reaching the Government House Rayfield. That notwithstanding, the crowd now zeroed in on other softer targets which at the end left its permanent scars on Jos. These include:
- The looting and destruction of technical equipments worth billions of naira that had been imported and stored in the Technical School, Bukuru.
- The looting and, destruction of palliatives that had been sent to Plateau en-route IDP camps in Southern Plateau by NEMA.
- The looting and destruction of palliatives running into millions of naira purchased and stored at the State’s SEMA stores pending disbursement.
- The looting and destruction of technical and office equipment at the Water Board Office, Bukuru.
- The looting, burning and destruction of equipments that had been imported for the rehabilitation of the Jos International Breweries, Jos.
- The looting and destruction of the multi-billion naira personal house of the former Speaker of the House Representatives Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
- The death of five people in a pond in Laminga.
A committee set up by the Plateau State Government to assess the amount of damage in the State concluded that the damages inflicted on the State run into billions of naira, while the implication was that it would take the State over 10 decades to recover, if ever.
Be that as it may and while appreciating the issues raised by the agitations given the current conjuncture of hardship and suffering, we want to use this opportunity to call for sober reflection, understanding and caution. In the same vein, we call on national leadership to continue on the current trajectory of the search for ameliorating solutions.
In conclusion, may we all learn from the past to save ourselves from the horrors and sufferings of the future. We owe it to ourselves, our children and future generations.
Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden
Former Deputy Governor, Plateau State.
Former Deputy Governor Of Plateau State, Sonni Tyoden, has called for sober reflection, understanding and caution on the part of Nigerians on the impending Nationwide protests tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’ slated to commence on the 1st of August.
He made this call while speaking on the state of the nation.
Mr Tyoden while calling for caution said the protest as planned is constitutionally guaranteed but urged organisers to also consider the fact it is prone to hijack by those who are planning to unleash mayhem, chaos and destruction across the nation.
He said organisers should consider the recent antecedents especially the #Endsars protest which shows that concerns raised by the Police and Other Stakeholders are valid.
According to Mr Tyoden, the lessons learnt from the rampage that followed the hijack of the #Endsars protest should not be forgotten so soon.
Going Further, he said the chaos, violence and destruction left a permanent scar on Jos the Plateau State capital which will take decades to heal.
Mr Tyoden said the destruction of government property, provisions meant for Internally Displaced persons and other equipment left the Plateau State government in the red to the tune of Billions.
According to him some of these incidents may never get closure due to the quantum of destruction and the funding needed to address them.
Read Full Statement Below…
So much has been said for and against the impending national protest slated for 1st August 2024 and in the process, a national dialogue has been initiated on the issues that ail us as a nation. This is as it should be. A fundamental point that has been accepted across board is that it is a guaranteed constitutional right to protest and be protected by the police where such protest is peaceful and of no threat to law and order. The concern on the other side is the fear of the protest being hijacked from the path of peace to that of chaos, destruction and violence and this fear, needs not be taken for granted, given past precedents, the latest of which was the End SARS protest. The note of caution here is that, with the benefit of hindsight and of the lessons learnt from the experience of the Endsars, we should not allow history to repeat itself. Going down memory lane and using our State as an example, we are all aware that the Endsars protest started from the State Secretariat on a peaceful note but by the time it reached the Old Airport junction, it had been taken over by hoodlums and the police had to be drafted in to prevent the now unruly crowd from reaching the Government House Rayfield. That notwithstanding, the crowd now zeroed in on other softer targets which at the end left its permanent scars on Jos. These include:
- The looting and destruction of technical equipments worth billions of naira that had been imported and stored in the Technical School, Bukuru.
- The looting and, destruction of palliatives that had been sent to Plateau en-route IDP camps in Southern Plateau by NEMA.
- The looting and destruction of palliatives running into millions of naira purchased and stored at the State’s SEMA stores pending disbursement.
- The looting and destruction of technical and office equipment at the Water Board Office, Bukuru.
- The looting, burning and destruction of equipments that had been imported for the rehabilitation of the Jos International Breweries, Jos.
- The looting and destruction of the multi-billion naira personal house of the former Speaker of the House Representatives Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
- The death of five people in a pond in Laminga.
A committee set up by the Plateau State Government to assess the amount of damage in the State concluded that the damages inflicted on the State run into billions of naira, while the implication was that it would take the State over 10 decades to recover, if ever.
Be that as it may and while appreciating the issues raised by the agitations given the current conjuncture of hardship and suffering, we want to use this opportunity to call for sober reflection, understanding and caution. In the same vein, we call on national leadership to continue on the current trajectory of the search for ameliorating solutions.
In conclusion, may we all learn from the past to save ourselves from the horrors and sufferings of the future. We owe it to ourselves, our children and future generations.
Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden
Former Deputy Governor, Plateau State.
Former Deputy Governor Of Plateau State, Sonni Tyoden, has called for sober reflection, understanding and caution on the part of Nigerians on the impending Nationwide protests tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’ slated to commence on the 1st of August.
He made this call while speaking on the state of the nation.
Mr Tyoden while calling for caution said the protest as planned is constitutionally guaranteed but urged organisers to also consider the fact it is prone to hijack by those who are planning to unleash mayhem, chaos and destruction across the nation.
He said organisers should consider the recent antecedents especially the #Endsars protest which shows that concerns raised by the Police and Other Stakeholders are valid.
According to Mr Tyoden, the lessons learnt from the rampage that followed the hijack of the #Endsars protest should not be forgotten so soon.
Going Further, he said the chaos, violence and destruction left a permanent scar on Jos the Plateau State capital which will take decades to heal.
Mr Tyoden said the destruction of government property, provisions meant for Internally Displaced persons and other equipment left the Plateau State government in the red to the tune of Billions.
According to him some of these incidents may never get closure due to the quantum of destruction and the funding needed to address them.
Read Full Statement Below…
So much has been said for and against the impending national protest slated for 1st August 2024 and in the process, a national dialogue has been initiated on the issues that ail us as a nation. This is as it should be. A fundamental point that has been accepted across board is that it is a guaranteed constitutional right to protest and be protected by the police where such protest is peaceful and of no threat to law and order. The concern on the other side is the fear of the protest being hijacked from the path of peace to that of chaos, destruction and violence and this fear, needs not be taken for granted, given past precedents, the latest of which was the End SARS protest. The note of caution here is that, with the benefit of hindsight and of the lessons learnt from the experience of the Endsars, we should not allow history to repeat itself. Going down memory lane and using our State as an example, we are all aware that the Endsars protest started from the State Secretariat on a peaceful note but by the time it reached the Old Airport junction, it had been taken over by hoodlums and the police had to be drafted in to prevent the now unruly crowd from reaching the Government House Rayfield. That notwithstanding, the crowd now zeroed in on other softer targets which at the end left its permanent scars on Jos. These include:
- The looting and destruction of technical equipments worth billions of naira that had been imported and stored in the Technical School, Bukuru.
- The looting and, destruction of palliatives that had been sent to Plateau en-route IDP camps in Southern Plateau by NEMA.
- The looting and destruction of palliatives running into millions of naira purchased and stored at the State’s SEMA stores pending disbursement.
- The looting and destruction of technical and office equipment at the Water Board Office, Bukuru.
- The looting, burning and destruction of equipments that had been imported for the rehabilitation of the Jos International Breweries, Jos.
- The looting and destruction of the multi-billion naira personal house of the former Speaker of the House Representatives Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
- The death of five people in a pond in Laminga.
A committee set up by the Plateau State Government to assess the amount of damage in the State concluded that the damages inflicted on the State run into billions of naira, while the implication was that it would take the State over 10 decades to recover, if ever.
Be that as it may and while appreciating the issues raised by the agitations given the current conjuncture of hardship and suffering, we want to use this opportunity to call for sober reflection, understanding and caution. In the same vein, we call on national leadership to continue on the current trajectory of the search for ameliorating solutions.
In conclusion, may we all learn from the past to save ourselves from the horrors and sufferings of the future. We owe it to ourselves, our children and future generations.
Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden
Former Deputy Governor, Plateau State.
Former Deputy Governor Of Plateau State, Sonni Tyoden, has called for sober reflection, understanding and caution on the part of Nigerians on the impending Nationwide protests tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’ slated to commence on the 1st of August.
He made this call while speaking on the state of the nation.
Mr Tyoden while calling for caution said the protest as planned is constitutionally guaranteed but urged organisers to also consider the fact it is prone to hijack by those who are planning to unleash mayhem, chaos and destruction across the nation.
He said organisers should consider the recent antecedents especially the #Endsars protest which shows that concerns raised by the Police and Other Stakeholders are valid.
According to Mr Tyoden, the lessons learnt from the rampage that followed the hijack of the #Endsars protest should not be forgotten so soon.
Going Further, he said the chaos, violence and destruction left a permanent scar on Jos the Plateau State capital which will take decades to heal.
Mr Tyoden said the destruction of government property, provisions meant for Internally Displaced persons and other equipment left the Plateau State government in the red to the tune of Billions.
According to him some of these incidents may never get closure due to the quantum of destruction and the funding needed to address them.
Read Full Statement Below…
So much has been said for and against the impending national protest slated for 1st August 2024 and in the process, a national dialogue has been initiated on the issues that ail us as a nation. This is as it should be. A fundamental point that has been accepted across board is that it is a guaranteed constitutional right to protest and be protected by the police where such protest is peaceful and of no threat to law and order. The concern on the other side is the fear of the protest being hijacked from the path of peace to that of chaos, destruction and violence and this fear, needs not be taken for granted, given past precedents, the latest of which was the End SARS protest. The note of caution here is that, with the benefit of hindsight and of the lessons learnt from the experience of the Endsars, we should not allow history to repeat itself. Going down memory lane and using our State as an example, we are all aware that the Endsars protest started from the State Secretariat on a peaceful note but by the time it reached the Old Airport junction, it had been taken over by hoodlums and the police had to be drafted in to prevent the now unruly crowd from reaching the Government House Rayfield. That notwithstanding, the crowd now zeroed in on other softer targets which at the end left its permanent scars on Jos. These include:
- The looting and destruction of technical equipments worth billions of naira that had been imported and stored in the Technical School, Bukuru.
- The looting and, destruction of palliatives that had been sent to Plateau en-route IDP camps in Southern Plateau by NEMA.
- The looting and destruction of palliatives running into millions of naira purchased and stored at the State’s SEMA stores pending disbursement.
- The looting and destruction of technical and office equipment at the Water Board Office, Bukuru.
- The looting, burning and destruction of equipments that had been imported for the rehabilitation of the Jos International Breweries, Jos.
- The looting and destruction of the multi-billion naira personal house of the former Speaker of the House Representatives Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
- The death of five people in a pond in Laminga.
A committee set up by the Plateau State Government to assess the amount of damage in the State concluded that the damages inflicted on the State run into billions of naira, while the implication was that it would take the State over 10 decades to recover, if ever.
Be that as it may and while appreciating the issues raised by the agitations given the current conjuncture of hardship and suffering, we want to use this opportunity to call for sober reflection, understanding and caution. In the same vein, we call on national leadership to continue on the current trajectory of the search for ameliorating solutions.
In conclusion, may we all learn from the past to save ourselves from the horrors and sufferings of the future. We owe it to ourselves, our children and future generations.
Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden
Former Deputy Governor, Plateau State.
Former Deputy Governor Of Plateau State, Sonni Tyoden, has called for sober reflection, understanding and caution on the part of Nigerians on the impending Nationwide protests tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’ slated to commence on the 1st of August.
He made this call while speaking on the state of the nation.
Mr Tyoden while calling for caution said the protest as planned is constitutionally guaranteed but urged organisers to also consider the fact it is prone to hijack by those who are planning to unleash mayhem, chaos and destruction across the nation.
He said organisers should consider the recent antecedents especially the #Endsars protest which shows that concerns raised by the Police and Other Stakeholders are valid.
According to Mr Tyoden, the lessons learnt from the rampage that followed the hijack of the #Endsars protest should not be forgotten so soon.
Going Further, he said the chaos, violence and destruction left a permanent scar on Jos the Plateau State capital which will take decades to heal.
Mr Tyoden said the destruction of government property, provisions meant for Internally Displaced persons and other equipment left the Plateau State government in the red to the tune of Billions.
According to him some of these incidents may never get closure due to the quantum of destruction and the funding needed to address them.
Read Full Statement Below…
So much has been said for and against the impending national protest slated for 1st August 2024 and in the process, a national dialogue has been initiated on the issues that ail us as a nation. This is as it should be. A fundamental point that has been accepted across board is that it is a guaranteed constitutional right to protest and be protected by the police where such protest is peaceful and of no threat to law and order. The concern on the other side is the fear of the protest being hijacked from the path of peace to that of chaos, destruction and violence and this fear, needs not be taken for granted, given past precedents, the latest of which was the End SARS protest. The note of caution here is that, with the benefit of hindsight and of the lessons learnt from the experience of the Endsars, we should not allow history to repeat itself. Going down memory lane and using our State as an example, we are all aware that the Endsars protest started from the State Secretariat on a peaceful note but by the time it reached the Old Airport junction, it had been taken over by hoodlums and the police had to be drafted in to prevent the now unruly crowd from reaching the Government House Rayfield. That notwithstanding, the crowd now zeroed in on other softer targets which at the end left its permanent scars on Jos. These include:
- The looting and destruction of technical equipments worth billions of naira that had been imported and stored in the Technical School, Bukuru.
- The looting and, destruction of palliatives that had been sent to Plateau en-route IDP camps in Southern Plateau by NEMA.
- The looting and destruction of palliatives running into millions of naira purchased and stored at the State’s SEMA stores pending disbursement.
- The looting and destruction of technical and office equipment at the Water Board Office, Bukuru.
- The looting, burning and destruction of equipments that had been imported for the rehabilitation of the Jos International Breweries, Jos.
- The looting and destruction of the multi-billion naira personal house of the former Speaker of the House Representatives Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
- The death of five people in a pond in Laminga.
A committee set up by the Plateau State Government to assess the amount of damage in the State concluded that the damages inflicted on the State run into billions of naira, while the implication was that it would take the State over 10 decades to recover, if ever.
Be that as it may and while appreciating the issues raised by the agitations given the current conjuncture of hardship and suffering, we want to use this opportunity to call for sober reflection, understanding and caution. In the same vein, we call on national leadership to continue on the current trajectory of the search for ameliorating solutions.
In conclusion, may we all learn from the past to save ourselves from the horrors and sufferings of the future. We owe it to ourselves, our children and future generations.
Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden
Former Deputy Governor, Plateau State.
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