A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Dunukofia Local Government of Anambra State, Pharmacist Chinedu Ikeagwuonwu Klinsmann, has commended the Federal Government for its prompt intervention in the troubling case of the young #EndBadGovernance protesters recently arraigned in court on charges that include treason.
In a statement released today, Pharm. Klinsmann praised the directive given by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, instructing the police to transfer the protesters’ case file to his office and hand it over to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a comprehensive review. According to Klinsmann, this action underscores the sensitivity of the President Tinubu-led administration, especially in light of public outrage over reports of some suspects collapsing in court.
Klinsmann also aimed at former Vice President and 2023 PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of exploiting the situation for political gain. He described Atiku’s reference to the “wickedness of T-Pain” in criticizing the Tinubu administration as immature, unstatesmanlike, and inflammatory.
“Atiku’s expression of ‘horror’ at seeing the children in court was merely a façade,” Klinsmann asserted. “If he genuinely cared about their plight, he should have used his position as Vice President for eight years and his considerable wealth to address the underlying issues that drive these children to the streets, at least in Adamawa, his home state.”
Klinsmann further remarked, “Many of these children are in detention today because they were on the streets during the chaotic #EndBadGovernance protest. Atiku has no moral ground to criticize others for failures he could have addressed. These young protesters are clearly almajiri children. If Atiku, with all his resources, had established an Almajiri Child Care Home in Adamawa, it could have set a precedent for others and perhaps prevented the region from becoming a hotbed of banditry and insecurity.”
He also expressed disappointment over comments made by former Kano State Governor and 2023 NNPP Presidential Candidate, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who suggested that the Federal Government should prioritize tackling banditry, kidnapping, and Boko Haram instead of prosecuting children.
“Kwankwaso must remember that the apple does not fall far from the tree,” Klinsmann stated. “His failure to establish an Almajiri Child Care Home during his eight-year tenure as Governor of Kano State has significantly contributed to the high levels of youth violence, banditry, and insurgency in Northern Nigeria. Now, he seeks to deflect blame onto the Tinubu administration. It’s no surprise that Kano became the epicenter of the destruction that followed the #EndBadGovernance protest.”
Klinsmann emphasized that the northern political elite—and perhaps all Nigerians—must recognize that almajiri children represent a ticking time bomb. “These children are largely uneducated, disillusioned, and living in desperate conditions with no hope for the future,” he said.
He highlighted the stark contrast in how the #EndBadGovernance protest unfolded across different regions. “While the protest was relatively peaceful in the South and Middle Belt, it turned violent from the start in the North. Unlike their southern counterparts, who carried placards and banners, northern almajiri youths wielded sticks, cudgels, and machetes, looting shops and destroying public and private property.”
“We all witnessed images from the northern protests,” Klinsmann continued. “Billions of Naira were lost, and many lives were needlessly cut short, including innocent passersby struck by stray bullets. The situation was so dire that several northern states imposed dusk-to-dawn curfews.”
Klinsmann attributed the root cause of the almajiri crisis to pervasive poverty, which compels parents to send their children to almajiri schools. “Deprived of parental love and care from an early age, these children are sent into a harsh environment to seek knowledge but are ultimately driven by survival,” he said. “Begging for food, money, and basic needs becomes their only option. Without proper food, shelter, and care, many fall into cycles of drug addiction, violence, and crime.”
He noted that some almajiri children fall victim to ritualists and human traffickers, while others are manipulated into becoming political thugs, hired killers, and extremists.
