Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Chairman Abdullahi Candido has called on religious leaders, student leaders and other critical stakeholders in the area council to preach peace in their various communities.
He gave the advice during a peace and security committee meeting at the council’s secretariat on Monday in Abuja.
Candido, who was represented by Mr Lawrence Onuchukwu, Vice Chairman of the area council, said that the protest, hijacked by hoodlums was not doing the country good.
He noted that the looting on going in the country would further bring the country back in terms of development.
“We know that we (politicians) have not meted justice to the people and we have apologised, the federal government has also apologised.
“On our part as an area council, we have apologised to the youths, please we want you to come out from the streets.
“But the fact is that we must quench the fire on the mountain and we are ready to go back to the drawing board.
“We know that some of the demands of the protesters have been attended to by the government, but I want them to understand that some of their demands have to do with policy issues.
“These things cannot be changed in a day, please be patient with us because our country must not go down,’’ he said.
The chairman also urged the religious leaders to preach peace during their sermons and urged the youth to give peace a chance.
Also, Rev. David Amos, Director, Youth Education and Women Development, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), FCT Chapter, said that political office holders should endeavour to rule in fairness and truth.
He said that the association would continue to condemn the activities of those looting citizens’ property.
Chief Imam of Area 10 Mosque Yahya Yolawi, who spoke on behalf of FCT Imams, added that the government should open tertiary institutions to enable youths go back to school and not be used by people with ulterior motives.
He added that the government should venture into public-private partnership to tackle the issue unemployment and boost businesses in the country.
Mr Tanko Adamu Mohammed, President, Abuja Indigenous Student Association, also assured the leadership of AMAC of their readiness to caution students to desist from the protest.
He also called on the government to develop programmes that would engage the youth productively immediately they graduate from school.
NAN reports that representatives of market women, students, community groups and other stakeholders were present at the meeting.
