Zaria youth leader arrested after protesting exclusion from federal jobs

A youth leader in Zaria, Alhaji Halliru Adamu Aliyu, popularly known as Wali, has reportedly been arrested following a peaceful protest at the family residence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajuddeen Abbas.

Wali had led a group of young people to the Speaker’s family home to express their frustration over what they described as the Speaker’s neglect of youths in his constituency and their exclusion from federal employment opportunities.

In a video obtained by Zagazola Makama, the youth leader accused the Speaker of using young people merely as political tools during election campaigns, only to abandon them afterward.

“We were the ones he gave T-shirts and caps during campaigns.

“We followed him, obeyed his instructions, and worked tirelessly for him.

“But today, while federal job opportunities are being shared across the country, not a single youth from his own community has benefited,” Wali lamented.

He alleged that employment slots allocated to institutions such as the National Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST), Kaduna Polytechnic, and the Nigeria Police had not benefited anyone from the Speaker’s local constituency.

“Most of us who supported him during campaigns are not illiterate. We have degrees and diplomas, yet we are ignored,” he added.

Sources told Zagazola that the viral protest video angered the Speaker, who allegedly ordered Wali’s arrest, leading to his detention at the Zaria Police Command.

Residents have since expressed outrage, accusing the Speaker of using law enforcement to silence dissent and suppress legitimate calls for accountability.

According to community members, several youths had previously been detained for criticising the Speaker over alleged poor representation and substandard constituency projects.

Findings by Zagazola also revealed that some constituency projects reportedly executed under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiative in Zaria were either poorly implemented or already deteriorating, despite being awarded at significant costs running into billions of naira.

Civil society organisations and youth groups in Zaria have called for Wali’s immediate release and urged Speaker Abbas to prioritise dialogue, transparency, and inclusion rather than resorting to intimidation of his critics.