We’re In Edo As Economic Migrants, Not Kidnappers” –  Hausa Community Begin Sit-at-home Protest

By Ayodele Oni

For tagging their members as Kidnappers, Hausa community in Auchi, Edo State has began a sit-at- home protest, amid growing concerns over insecurity caused by incessant kidnappings in parts of Edo state.

One of the leaders of Arewa community in Auchi, Chief Bawa Muhammad told the media that the sit-at-home protest became necessary to address unjust prosecution and stereotype that sees every Northerner as a kidnapper.

He admitted that although there are criminal elements among them, but that this should not be an excuse to tag all of them as being the same.

In a statement he signed and made available to journalists, he called for calm, vigilance, and cooperation among residents of Auchi.

He noted that criminal activities “are often carried out by a small minority whose actions tend to be highly visible, even though the majority of people from Northern Nigeria living in Auchi are law-abiding residents seeking better opportunities.”

According to him, many northerners residing in the town are economic migrants who have moved to Auchi in search of safety and improved livelihoods, with some also fleeing violence in parts of Northern Nigeria.

Muhammad emphasized that the presence of a few criminal elements should not define the broader Northern community, many of whom had lived peacefully in Auchi for many years due to the town’s accommodating nature.

Chief Muhammed, however, stressed the need for collective action in addressing security concerns.

He called on both the host community and residents from the North to work together in identifying and isolating individuals involved in criminal activities.

“Criminals often live and move quietly among law-abiding citizens,” he stated, adding that vigilance and cooperation from all residents were necessary to ensure such individuals “do not operate freely within the community.”

He pointed out that ensuring public safety was a shared responsibility and urged residents to remain united, maintain mutual respect, and support efforts aimed at preventing criminality from taking root within their neighbourhoods.