Sit-at-home by Arewa yoùths grounds activities in Auchi
Commercial activities have been grounded in Auchi, headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area following a sit-at-home protest by members of Arewa Community in Auchi. Many residents were stranded as
Commercial activities have been grounded in Auchi, headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area following a sit-at-home protest by members of Arewa Community in Auchi.
Many residents were stranded as there were no commercial motorcycles, popularly known as okada soperated by Arewa youths.
The markets were half full due to the absence of the Arewa traders.
Some of the Arewa youth said the sit-at-home was to protest burning of their makeshift homes by youths of the community.
But, the President of Auchi Youth Council, Oshiobugie Ahmed, said the sit-at-home was to enable Auchi Arewa leaders to ensure no Arewa youths continued to sleep in the streets.
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Oshiobugie denied involvement of Auchi youths in the burning of the homes of Hausa/Fulani traders.
He said: “It was not Auchi youths that burnt houses of Hausa and Fulani. It was an Edo State joint task force that burnt huts in the bushes and not the story shown on social media.
“What the youth did at Audu Momoh Street, where you have people loitering around without a proper house to stay. They sleep in the street. The youth went there to tell them to leave the streets and rent an apartment so that the community will know where everyone stays. There was a little argument which was settled. There was no burning and no fight.
“The head of Arewa Community in Auchi reached out to me that they wanted to sit at home to enable them to check some of their people that do not have where they stay. The sit at home was to enable them resolve issues.
“We agreed to begin with intelligence gathering. The sit-at-home was not because of burning camps in the bush.
“Auchi is a peace-loving place. We do not segregate and we hope they will be willing to collaborate with us. The rate of kidnapping is alarming. We need their collaboration to curb crime.
“The Arewa community are the ones doing okada business. Their stopping work makes moving around difficult for the people. It affected businesses in the community. They are the ones selling at the market. They have promised to resume. Their absence paralysed commercial activities in Auchi and environs.”
