Nura Ilyasu, the man who climbed a telecommunications mast in Abuja on Wednesday to protest the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari, has finally descended.
He came down voluntarily, after security operatives acceded to his request that he must address the press upon his descent.
According to Ilyasu, he climbed the mast to protest the economic hardship in the country, just as he stated that President Muhammadu Buhari does not deserve another four years in office.
“I don’t believe General Buhari deserves another four-year term in Nigeria because the pervasive hunger and poverty in Nigeria is inexplicable. I don’t have mental disorder as being insinuated by some people,” he stated.
Security agents had made entreaties to him since Wednesday when he mounted the mast, but their efforts proved abortive, as he had vowed not to descend until President Muhammadu Buhari resigns from the office.
However, this morning, they were able to communicate with him via his mobile telephone, and they appealed to him. He later told them that he would come down on the condition that he must speak to the press.
He said: “My name is Nura Ilyasu. I am 28 years old. What I did is within the purview of the law. My human right is to protest peacefully and I never threatened my life or any other person
“What we are going through in this country is not from God. Some microscopic-view individuals hijacked all that God endowed Nigeria with for decent life, and we can’t continue like this. I climbed up for seven days hunger strike to protest the incompetence and cluelessness, to protest presidential impunity and general docility displayed by the masses. We can’t continue like this.
“Other competent candidates are there; even Saraki, Atiku, Kwankwaso, Tambuwal, Dankwambo and others. At least one of these [men] will make a good President.
“I don’t believe General Buhari deserves another four-year term in Nigeria because the pervasive hunger and poverty in Nigeria is inexplicable. I don’t have mental disorder as being insinuated by some people.”
When asked how he felt now that he had come down from the mast, Ilyasu said he was full of life and mentally stable.
He said he came down because some lawyers spoke to him while he was on the mast. He was later taken away by security operatives.
Ilyasu climbed a mast with the approval number AB0099 belonging to Airtel Nigeria, located few metres away from the presidential villa and Lungi Army Barracks, on Wednesday.
