Pro-Biafra protests: Buhari group visits Rivers

 

A group, Buhari Cam­paign Organisa­tion, (BCO), has sued for peace, follow­ing the pro-Biafra protests, which rocked the city last week. Some mem­bers of the Hausa commu­nity in Port Harcourt were said to have sustained injuries during the protest that lasted for more than 12 hours.
BCO, which was in the state to ascertain the safety of the Arewa living in the state and to appeal for calm, described the action of the protesters as the “handiwork of Satan and joblessness.”
The delegation ear­lier visited the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Musa Kimo, and held a closed-door meeting with him be­fore visiting the victims.
The group, which was led by its Coordinator, Al­haji Ali Idris Barde, also vis­ited the Hausa community in Gambia Street, Mile 2, Diobu, Port Harcourt, and met with some persons, who were allegedly injured dur­ing the protests.
One of the victims, Alhaji Musa Lalu, narrated how some of the protesters de­stroyed their wares and at­tempted to set a part of the street ablaze.
According to him, it was in the process of trying to put out the fire that he was hit on the face by a stone.
He said: “I just rushed to carry the fire extinguisher in my shop, to put out the fire; one of them threw a stone and it hit me on the face and blood gushed out.
He expressed worry at the attack, saying he had been living in Rivers State since 1972, adding that it was his first time of ex­periencing such ethnic-based protest.
Addressing newsmen later, Alhaji Barde said the protest disrupted social and economic activities in the city of Port Harcourt and ap­pealed to the security agents to forestall further attacks on members of the Hausa com­munity living in the state.
He said: “We believe in one Nigeria, bound in free­dom; thus, we appeal to our people to maintain peace, good neighbourliness and harmony. We appeal to lead­ers of various communities in the South-south, South-east, clerics and youth lead­ers to call their followers to order.”