National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Chuks Peter
The leadership of the non-indigenes community in Delta State has distanced itself from the 10-day nationwide protests scheduled for August 1.
The non-indigenes, comprising Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo, Idoma, Tiv, Edo, and others, decided after careful review to direct their members not to participate in the proposed protest, citing concerns that it could worsen the nation’s economic situation, similar to the #ENDSARS protests.
The non-indigenes concluded that the current economic crisis affecting the nation is a global issue. They added that the state government, led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, is actively addressing these issues.
This stance was disclosed at a press conference in Asaba on Tuesday.
In a communique read by Babatunde Ishmael, the non-indigene leaders acknowledged the economic hardship in the country but emphasised that it is a global issue being tackled by responsible governments.
The communique stated, “The non-indigene community executive believes that another round of protests, following the #ENDSARS protests, would exacerbate the precarious economic and security situation in the country.”
They praised the Delta State government for providing a conducive environment for non-indigenes to conduct their businesses without discrimination or harassment.
They also noted that the Oborevwori administration has included non-indigenes in government positions and has provided palliatives to vulnerable groups, including the non-indigene community, to mitigate the effects of fuel subsidy removal by the Tinubu administration.
“The non-indigene community executive believes that the community should not be dragged into politics or used by politicians to settle scores,” the communique added.
They directed their members not to participate in the upcoming national protests, warning that it would worsen the already fragile security and economic situation in the country.
Therefore, we should support the Oborevwori administration and avoid engaging in a needless protest that is not a solution to our challenges,” the communique continued.
The non-indigene leadership also cited security information indicating that some detractors are planning to infiltrate the ranks of the non-indigene community in the state. They advised their members not to be used to destabilise the polity.
They warned that the planned protest, with the hashtag #endbadgovernanceinnigeria, appears politically motivated and could be hijacked by hoodlums, potentially leading to fatalities and injuries.
“We advise all our members to remain law-abiding, vigilant, and avoid any actions that could breach the law and security of the state and country,” the communique concluded.
