Oyo State Government, through the State Agency for Youth Development, on Monday, met with about 80 youth associations, expressing fears that the protest could be hijacked by people with ulterior motives.

The stakeholders meeting held at the House of Chiefs, State Secretariat, Ibadan, saw state government officials task the youths intent on protesting to be organised, peaceful, make known their leaders, action plan, and template.

Leading the charge, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin said the state wanted only protest that is done in a safe manner, devoid of destruction of properties and lives.

Remembering the sour experience of the #EndSARS protest in 2020, Ogundoyin said government wanted to have identifiable leaders of the protest and it would not hesitate to mandate security agencies to protect such protesters to prevent hijack.

Representatives of various youth groups had told the gathering that hunger, hardship were what instigated the protest, as they enjoined security personnel to be civil and coordinate themselves during the protest.

They also chided government officials over lack of accountability, corruption, flamboyant living, failure to ensure palliatives get to those they are intended for, and government not living up to their campaign promises.

Making her intervention, Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives, Titilope Gbadamosi argued that the president was working day and night to address the hardship and hunger in the land.

She called for patience with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, just as she enjoined youths in the South West to access government initiatives for the youths like the student loan and the Nigeria Youth Academy among others that are youth-centered.

Gbadamosi expressed positivity that the implementation of local government autonomy would make the grassroots feel the impact of government better, as he charged local government chairmen to live up to their responsibilities.

Speaking in the same vein, the Director General, Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, Mr Adebowale Falana said the state was wary that people aggrieved at hunger in the land may hijack organised protest and make them violent.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Wasilat Adegoke averred that the state government was putting in place all machinery to ensure a peaceful protest in the state.

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Tribune Online