Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has attributed hunger protest which turned violent in the state to external influences.
Protesters regrouped on Monday and marched through metropolitan areas of the state capital waving the Russian flags, a development that forced the state government to announce a 24-hour curfew on Kaduna and Zaria.
While commenting on the security situation on Tuesday, the governor sympathized with the innocent residents affected, including those who could not go out to earn a living.
He blamed external forces for inciting children aged Nine to 14 seen brandishing flags of another country.
The governor said it was a deliberate attempt to create chaos, exploiting naivity of the underage children and contingency of countries like Niger Republic to Nigeria.
Sani said the protests were not about bad governance or hunger, suggesting that initial genuine protesters were hijacked by sponsored elements exploiting uneducated and underage children.
He gave a thumb up to security forces for their professional handling of the situation, allowing underage children to climb on police vehicles without resorting to force.
“The sad aspect of what has happened is that a whole of innocent people are now at home. These are people who are supposed to come out and earn their own living.
“Particularly seeing children of impressionable ages of nine, 10 and 14 now raising the flag of another country, you will agree with me that it’s well designed, sponsored by some elements who are calling for anarchy in their own country.
“They took advantage by using the psychology of those children knowing fully well that here in Northern Nigeria, our people are close to our neighbouring countries like Niger Republic, making them to believe that what happened in Niger Republic can happen in Nigeria; what happened in Burkina-faso can happen in Nigeria and what happened in Mali can happen in Nigeria.
“So, as far as I am concerned the protest has nothing to do with bad governance or hunger or anything.Those that came out a few days ago, were sponsored by some people who took advantage of the facts that most of children are not even educated and of course, they are under aged.
“I want to commend the security for managing the situation because if you noticed what happened, some of the children are even climbing the Armoured Personnel Carrier of the police which showed that the police are very understanding.
“They (police) acted professionally for them to even allow children because they realized that those children were underaged here in Kaduna. We are investigating the situation.” he assured.