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Arewa Youth Forum Denies Claim Of Going To War Over #ENDSARS Protest

October 18, 2020

Denouncing the claim, the Legal Adviser of AYCF, Abubakar Liman, in a statement, described the media report as a concoction of the publishers' riotous imagination, adding that the AYCF National President has never been associated with combative or violent protest to opposing views for whatever reason.

The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum has denied a statement credited to its president that the group was threatening to go to war if the ongoing #ENDSARS protest leads to the removal of President Muhammadu Buhari.

A statement on Saturday purportedly released by AYCF National President, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, had declared that "North will go to war if Southerners remove Buhari" through the ongoing protest.

Denouncing the claim, the Legal Adviser of AYCF, Abubakar Liman, in a statement, described the media report as a concoction of the publishers' riotous imagination, adding that the AYCF National President has never been associated with combative or violent protest to opposing views for whatever reason.

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“Our National President has always been a democrat, following legitimate constitutional processes in his agitations and it is for this reason he has built a record of fearless activism but free of violence.

“Much as any other civil society group is free to choose the combative or violent mode of protest, we at the AYCF do not and will never resort to such abhorrent method. 

“The AYFC is a platform of matured citizens who strongly believe in deepening Nigeria's democracy,” AYCF lawyer said.

The lawyer stressed that while the purported statement was malicious, the forum was “unapologetic in the promotion of democracy through legal and legitimate means, in line with the nation's constitution, which supports presentation of grievances with respect to the rule of law.”

The ongoing #ENDSARS protests across the country have attracted global attention.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Government has been sponsoring thugs to attack the peaceful protesters.

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, said government will take firm steps against the protesters.

At least 12 persons have been killed so far bb with many injured.