There appears to be palpable fear across the country over the planned strike by some aggrieved youths due to economic hardship, overtaxing, electoral fraud and bloated allowances of lawmakers, on August 1 to 10, tagged: ‘Sóró Sókè.’

To this end, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (Northeast), Abdulhamid Yahaya Abba, has cautioned youths particularly those in the Northeast region against taking part in the demonstration.

Abba, in a statement yesterday, charged them to engage in meaningful venture and not allow themselves to be distracted.

According to him, the Bola Tinubu administration anticipated the short-term effects of certain tough decisions, which were necessary to address long-standing issues neglected by previous governments for political reasons.

While assuring the youths of the government’s long-term solutions, Abba said the government was not unmindful of the current hardships faced by Nigerians and has implemented various palliative measures.

He highlighted the importance of subsistence and commercial farming as opportunities to alleviate these difficulties.

“These tough decisions were essential, despite their short-term impacts, because previous leaderships chose to sidestep them, likely for political reasons.

“The importance of subsistence and commercial farming cannot be overstated as a means to alleviate the current hardships,” he remarked.

He remarked that reports predicting food insecurity preceded the current administration, which in fact, prompted some of the recent policy decisions.

With the farming season underway and inaugurated Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU) by Vice President, Kashim Shettima and initiatives, Abba stressed the need for youths to stay focused.

He said, “We must stay focused and not be swayed by those who seek unrest for personal gain, especially with new opportunities from the PFSCU and initiatives by the Hon. Minister of Agriculture.

“Immediate respite will come once the refineries are fully operational. The NNPC Limited is well on top of the matter, and efforts like Dangote’s must be commended. This will help reduce the cost of energy, which is vital for economic stability.”