Military: We’ll Resist Attempt to Force Regime Change
•FG places protest sponsors in Diaspora on watchlist, freezes their local accounts
•Normalcy gradually returns to Kano as government relaxes curfew
•Sani: Protests sponsored, it’s about regime change, not hardship or bad governance
Chuks Okocha, Michael Olugbode, Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Ikechukwu Aleke in Abuja, Seriki Adinoyi in Jos, Wale Igbintade, Sunday Ehigiator in Lagos, Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano, Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt and Sylvester Idowu in Warri
The Armed Forces of Nigeria, yesterday, described those, allegedly, calling for regime change under the guise of #EndBadGovernance protest as representing less than one per cent of the country’s population. They expressed their resolve to resist such attempt.
Speaking at a joint press conference of the service chiefs and other heads of security agencies at Defence Headquarters in Abuja, Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, vowed that the military will defend the country’s democracy with the last drop of their blood.
Equally yesterday, the federal government said it had identified and placed on its watch list individuals in the diaspora believed to be sponsoring the nationwide protests. It said their Nigerian accounts had been frozen.
The revelation came as Inspector General (IG) of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered Deputy Inspectors General of Police for North-west and North-east zones, Bala Ciroma and Bello Makwashi, respectively, to take charge of operations in the states within the two geo-political zones, where subversive campaigns were ongoing under the guise of protests.
At the same time, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, yesterday, called on protesters in Nigeria to accede to appeal by President Bola Tinubu for dialogue.
Nonetheless, a degree of normalcy had begun to return to Kano, as the state government announced a relaxation of a 24-hour curfew imposed following five days hunger protests in the state.
In Kaduna State, the governor, Senator Uba Sani, said the protests in the country were not about hunger or bad governance, but sponsored to stoke anarchy for regime change.
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, explained that the reason he imposed a 24-hour curfew in the state was to prevent an escalation of the protest. Mutfwang said if the demonstrations were allowed to continue, criminals would have hijacked it to wreak havoc on citizens.
Amid the curfew, 26 suspects, including eight minors, were, reportedly, arraigned at the Jos High Court on charges of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, disturbance of public peace and order.
Bauchi State Governor, and Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Bala Mohammed, said while he recognised the level of suffering and hardship in the country, he could not allow the breakdown of law and order to continue.
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Hamzat, who appeared on the Arise News channel, yesterday, disclosed that the state government would continue to engage with the youth in the achievement of its set goals and programmes.
Nevertheless, Justice Sherifat Sonaike of the Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square extended the order restricting protesters in the state to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park, Ketu area of the state, pending the full compliance with the protocol.
Meanwhile, police launched a crackdown on treasonable protesters and arrested over 90 suspects in connection with the display of foreign flags as well as call for military takeover.
Speaking at the joint press conference yesterday, Musa stated that the military and other security agencies will continue to go after those encouraging attempts at unconstitutional change of government or subversion, and those into vandalism or destruction of lives and property.
The defence chief said the military were only after people who did not mean well for the country, and enemies of the state. He stressed that anyone who made himself an enemy of the state must be willing to face the law.
Musa stated, “We encourage the youth to dialogue with authority, as violence will do the nation no good. The ongoing hardship is not peculiar to Nigeria alone; it is a global issue. We are not isolated in the suffering and hunger; it is a new world order, so we must speak with one voice in support of our dear country.”
He assured the public that the military will remain professional in the discharge of their duties, adding that they have ordered their men on the field to respect the rights of Nigerians.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, said the armed forces were the power behind democracy in Nigeria. Ogalla said the military were committed to defending the country’s democratic journey. He regretted that the protests had taken a negative dimension, and become subversive.
Ogalla stated, “People are now displaying flags of foreign nations and openly calling for unconstitutional change of government. Protesters asking for foreign intervention in our country. This shows that the intentions of these protesters are not in tandem with the aspirations of many Nigerians.
“This protest is sponsored by foreign and subversive elements, who are bent on distorting the peace that we have enjoyed in the last 25 years. It is obvious that the sponsors have other sinister motives other than the one they told the protesters.
“We will not renege on our responsibility. We are ready to defend the country with the last drop of our blood, that I can assure you.”
Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Taoreed Lagbaja, said there had been different dimensions to the security challenge in the country in the past five days.
Lagbaja said the country had witnessed wanton destruction of property, loss of lives, and even stretching the insecurity in the country to the point of treason and subversion.
He stated, “The Nigerian Army will not sit by and watch the nation slide into anarchy. The troops of Nigerian Army will continue to work in conjunction with other security agencies to maintain law and order.
“Our return to democracy in 1999 as a nation cost us blood and treasure. My appeal to the youth is that what we have witnessed in the past five days is a needless investment of blood and treasure by calling for unconstitutional change of government.”
Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nandap, disclosed that the federal government had identified and placed on watch list individuals in the diaspora sponsoring the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests. Nandap made this known in Abuja at the combined news conference by the heads of security agencies and service chiefs. She added that the sponsors will be arrested when entering the country.
According to her, “We have identified some diaspora sponsors; they are on our watch list. Any attempt they make to come into the country, we will be notified, and they will be picked up and handed to the appropriate authority.”
The immigration boss said the service had, in response to the protests, deployed more officers to land borders and airports to ensure effective manning of those entry ports. She stated that NIS had equally stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country.
Similarly, Egbetokun said the police had uncovered some sponsors, but he declined to give further information on them.
The IG said some bank accounts of such individuals had been blocked, and “many of them reside abroad. We have identified some diaspora sponsors; they are on our watch list”.
Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi, represented by the service’s spokesman, Peter Afunanya, said the service was monitoring those concerned.
Bichi said the DSS was also working with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to identify more people behind the protest’s funding.
IG Orders DIGs Ciroma, Makwashi to Lead Police Operation in North-east, North-west
Egbetokun ordered DIGs Ciroma and Makwashi to take charge of operations in the states within the North-west and North-east zones, respectively, where subversive campaigns were, allegedly, ongoing under the guise of protests.
The IG also tasked the duo to stabilise the situation in the zones and prevent further violence in the affected states.
A statement by force spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the police had also issued a stern warning against the display of foreign flags during protests and call for military takeover, categorising such actions as treasonable felony.
Adejobi said the order followed a wave of violent protests, particularly, in Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, and Katsina states, where protesters brandished the Russian flag.
Adejobi said ongoing investigations revealed that protest organisers in those states were luring innocent children into participating in the unpatriotic and criminal acts.
According to him, over 90 suspects have been arrested, including tailors who sewed the flags and their sponsors. He added that efforts were underway to apprehend others, who sponsored the production of the flags and fuelled the treasonable acts.
ECOWAS Commission Enjoins Protesters to Embrace Dialogue
ECOWAS Commission called on protesters in Nigeria to accede to appeal by Tinubu for dialogue.
In a statement, yesterday, ECOWAS Commission said it had been “closely monitoring the ongoing protests by citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and deeply regrets reports of violence in the course of the protests and the unfortunate death of some protesters as well as alleged looting and destruction of public and private properties”.
The statement added, “The commission extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and sympathises with the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria over the losses.
“The ECOWAS Commission recognises the right of citizens to peaceful protests, as guaranteed by the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
“The commission welcomes the State of the Nation address of 4th August 2024 by H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and urges the protesters and all stakeholders to heed the president’s call for inclusive dialogue for the resolution of all grievances and for the preservation of peace and security in Nigeria and the ECOWAS region, at large.”
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