Dozens of Nigerian youths under the umbrella of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) staged a protest on Thursday at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) headquarters in Abuja, condemning the Commission’s decision to deregister the council.
Led by NYCN President, Ambassador Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, the demonstrators kicked off what they described as a 30-day nationwide protest to compel the CAC to reverse its action and remove the Registrar-General, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN).
The protesters accused Magaji of contempt of court, alleging that the deregistration was carried out despite a pending legal dispute. Their demonstration followed confirmation by the Federal Ministry of Youth that the CAC had revoked the NYCN’s registration certificate and appointed a caretaker committee while the case remains before the Court of Appeal.
Chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Registrar-General Must Go,” “Respect Court Orders,” and “Deregistration of NYCN is a Security Concern,” the protesters blocked the CAC’s main gate, demanding that the decision be reversed.
Addressing journalists, Sukubo described the move as a violation of the rule of law, emphasizing that the Federal High Court had already ruled on the issue.“This issue is pending before the Court of Appeal. We insist that due legal processes must be followed before any administrative decision is implemented,” Sukubo stated.
He vowed that the group would sustain peaceful protests for 30 days until the council’s registration was restored.
NYCN National Secretary, Comrade Gara Nongha, also decried the deregistration, calling it “deeply worrisome” and demanding the immediate restoration of the council’s legal status.
Former NYCN Secretary-General, Barrister Abubakar Suleiman, stressed that the matter was sub judice and that the CAC must respect court directives.
Responding to the protest, Acting Registrar-General and CAC Director of Customer Service, Julius Hanga, clarified that the deregistration was temporary and aimed at resolving outstanding administrative issues. He assured that the NYCN’s status would be restored once all legal matters were resolved.
