The Federal Government on Wednesday said though it acknowledges protest as a fundamental right of citizens, it is, however, concerned that the process might be hijacked by hoodlums to cause havoc.
The Minister of State for Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande expressed the government’s fear shortly after participating in a Forum of Councillors in Nigeria, held at Shehu Yar’Adu Centre, Abuja.
He told newsmen that hoodlums might capitalize on the confusion to destroy and loot critical public infrastructures and thereby setting the country backward.
Reeling out some of the achievements of the President Bola Tinubu administration in the last one year, Olawande urged the councillors to spread the message of hope to grassroots people.
“We have more than 8, 809 councillors spread across the 774 local government areas of Nigeria,’” he said.
“As critical stakeholders, if you help to educate people at the grassroots, we will reduce the problem of misinformation.’’
The minister added that the President had shown that he has the political will to correct age-long wrongs and maladministration that held the nation down through the recent financial autonomy granted the local government councils.