A protester on Monday in Abuja climbed to the top of the Aso Radio mast in the Katampe Hill area of the nation’s capital and threatened to jump down to his death if President Bola Tinubu fails to urgently put a stop to all problems bedevilling the country.
Shuaibu Yusuf, who hails from Maiduguri in Borno State, lamented that he was frustrated by unbearable economic realities and demanded that the President reverse the removal of fuel subsidies and tackle insecurity.
Other demands Yusuf made were that the government open the borders for food importation and declare an emergency in Zamfara, Kebbi, Kaduna, Sokoto, Katsina, Niger, and Borno States to end banditry.
He also demanded an end to Nigeria’s out-of-school children challenge, which is on the rise.
“The government should immediately respond to the problem of out-of-school children, which is increasing rapidly.
“These are the major Nigerian problems, and I am ready to sacrifice my life for a solution to them. I am calling on fellow Nigerians to join me in this riot,” he stated on the placard.
It took the intervention of the acting Director General of the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), Mrs. Florence Dawon Wenegieme, to convince Yusuf to come down from the broadcast mast.
Wenegieme promised him that his demands had been seen and that the Federal Government’s representatives who witnessed his suicide attempt would convey the message to President Bola Tinubu, who would ensure that all his demands were met.
“I am very sure that you can come up with ideas and better solutions to see Nigeria through. You may be the person who will give the best advice to the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu.
“I am insisting that by staying alive, you can come up with ideas. We have seen your cries and all that you have written.
“We have the Federal Government and the FCT administration well represented here and in the press to make sure that this message goes viral, even to the grassroots.
“It will get to the Federal Government and the President’s table. We have those that can communicate with you directly in a language that you will understand,” she said.
However, the young man was arrested by the police immediately after obeying the FEMD’s acting Director General by coming down from the broadcast mast.
The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, when contacted for clarification on the matter, quoted the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh, as saying: “Following a distress call from concerned citizens about a young man who climbed a very high mast with a placard at ASO Radio in Katampe at about 09:10 a.m, the operatives of the FCT Police Command swiftly mobilised to the location.
“With much professional persuasion from the police operatives, the man later identified as Shuaibu Alhaji Yushau was prevented from taking his own life.
He claimed to have been observing the mast for about a week before deciding to climb it. The suspect is presently in police custody and in stable condition.
“Further development will be communicated in due course.”
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