President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, commenced a two-day official visit to his home state of Katsina where he inaugurated some projects executed by the state government.

However, his first day in the state was marked by a protest by youths decrying the hardship in the country.

The youth staged the protest a few minutes after noon, shortly after the President inaugurated the Kofar Kaura Underpass in Katsina.

The protesters caused a commotion at the Kofar Kaura Underpass where they threw stones at the crowd after Buhari left the area.

The boys also set up bonfires along the Yahaya Madaki Way, a few metres from the underpass, while shouting: ‘We don’t need you,’ ‘We no go do,’ in Hausa.

A viral video showed a mass of youths violently denouncing the government as they engaged some policemen on the road.

The development is coming 72 hours after the Presidential standard bearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, was stoned by suspected hoodlums at a campaign rally in Katsina.

The thugs reportedly threw stones outside the campaign venue, damaging several vehicles.

“Our candidate had met with women in a town hall and then held a hugely successful rally at the Muhammad Dikko Stadium. However, on his way to the airport, hoodlums attacked the car our candidate was riding in with heavy stones from his driver’s side causing substantial damage to the vehicle,’’ the Head of Media, Obi/Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Diran Onifade, disclosed in a statement.

Buhari had finished the ceremony and left when the youth stormed the underpass and started shouting, ‘Bamuyi,’ ‘Bamuyi’ (We are not interested.)

They also threw stones at the convoy of state government officials departing the project site.

They were subsequently dispersed with tear gas by security personnel.

One of the youth said they were protesting the hardship in the country, adding that they wanted to draw the President’s attention to the situation.

One of the protestants declared,  “ We are suffering; no job; no life…no money…”

But the spokesman for the Katsina police command, Gambo  Isah, said there was no protest.

He noted, ‘’The President was neither booed nor his convoy stoned. I was part of the convoy. The President successfully inaugurated the project. We were at another inauguration when we learnt that hooligans known as kaoraye were fighting one another at Sabwa ungwa area and we went there. We arrested no fewer than 10 of them and an investigation is already going on.”

The Special Adviser to the governor on Security Matters, Ahmad Katsina,  did not respond to inquiries on the youth’s actions.

The Punch