Nigerian youths under the aegis of the Emerging Leaders Forum of Nigeria (ELFON), Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN) and Nigerian Students Parliament (NSP) have dissociated themselves from a protest against the country’s service chiefs.

The protest is scheduled to hold tomorrow, Thursday, February 20, 2020 but the three groups, along with representatives of various Students Union Governments across the country this evening washed their hands off the event.

While admitting the country’s precarious security situation, they said during a press conference addressed at Agura Hotels, Abuja by National Speaker of YAN, Amb. Godstime Chukwubuikem Samuel, and NSP National Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mubarak Aliyu Rimi: “The call for protest against the service chiefs, the call for the sacking of the service chiefs is not done in the best interest of Nigeria.”

News Express learnt that the pro-protest youths under the aegis of the Coalition of Nigerian Youths had earlier invited ELFON, YAN and NSP to mobilise their members to Millennium Park, Abuja, by 10am tomorrow but the three groups after consultations with their members opted not to be part of the protest.

Below is the full press statement read at the press briefing:

“We the members of the Emerging Leaders Forum of Nigeria (ELFON), Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN) and Nigerian Students Parliament (NSP) deem it necessary to call for this press conference as part of our Patriotic duty to salvage our country from unnecessary political tension, interference and politicisation of security. We are indeed aware that our dear Nation is bedeviled by numerous security challenges same way we are also aware of the spirited efforts by the military, police and other security agencies to deal with the security threats.

“However, the call for protest against the service chiefs, the call for the sack of service chiefs is not done in the best interest of Nigeria. It is the highest form of politicisation and stultification of security in Nigeria and we can never be part of such act of insurgency.

“Despite the recent setbacks in the war on Boko Haram terrorism, it is pertinent to know that there are obvious achievements recorded under the current military leadership. The service chiefs have done a lot to stabilize our democracy and security which are needed for the development of Nigeria. They work selflessly to degrade Boko Haram insurgents in the face of obvious constraints of modern equipment and finance.

“We are also aware that the appointment and sacking of service chiefs is the sole prerogative of the president and commander in chief of the Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and so nobody can push Mr. President into sacking the service chiefs as their removal is entirely the Mr. Presidents responsibility.

“Fellow Nigerian Youths, Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, on the basis of the above concerns, we the members of the Emerging Leaders Forum of Nigeria, Youth Assembly of Nigeria and Nigerian Students Parliament hereby openly and strongly disassociate ourselves with the planned protest for the removal of the heads of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and we urge all Nigerians to resist the misadventure which is the politically induced request for the removal of service chiefs.

“We urge all Nigerian Youths and Nigerians in general to support and rally round Mr. President, President Muhammadu Buhari and the leaders of the Armed Forces of our great country to hasten the total defeat of the insurgents, terrorists and bandits in our country.

“We say NO to political interference on security matters. We equally say NO to any form of protest against the military leadership in Nigeria.

God bless Nigeria.”

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