Angry Bogoro Youths Set Baba Peter Gonto Memorial Venue Ablaze
Violence erupted in the early hours of Friday in Bogoro Town as thousands of youths from the communities of Tafawa Balewa, Bogoro Local Government Areas of Bauchi State marched on the streets before setting ablaze the venue of the 21st memorial anniversary of the first Christian convert in Bogoro, Late Baba Peter Gonto.
Even in death, Gonto has remained highly revered by many who consider him their freedom fighter and hero.
The protesters, mostly young men and women barricaded the major roads to Bogoro; denying guests access to the venue of the memorial.
For several hours they took control of the roads waving and chanting solidarity songs.
From Bar village where the protest began, the crowd pushed farther to Bogoro Town unhindered and it was easy for them to set the venue of fire in the absence of the Police or any other form of security agency to take charge.
The unrest came despite warning by Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara that the memorial should be suspended as a result of insecurity in the area.
Yakubu Dogara, who is in his fourth term representing Dass/Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro Constituency, had written a letter to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, over security threats in the area, should the memorial be allowed to hold.
Following Dogara’s letter to the IGP, a group, Concerned Mwari Youth Forum, told journalists at a press conference on Monday that the claim by the Lawmaker of security threats in the area was untrue, insisting that the event, planned to honour Gonto, a grandfather to Dogara’s wife, will hold as planned.
