The Defence Headquarters has said that the proposed nationwide protest is intended to replicate what happened in Kenya. Some Nigerians and groups, under the banner of #EndbadgovernanceinNigeria, have threatened to protest against the prevailing economic hardship starting from August 1, 2024......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
The Federal Government and Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, have warned against the protest, stating that the nation is yet to heal from the #EndSARS protest.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Edward Buba, said based on intelligence at its disposal, the proposed nationwide protest would be hijacked by some unscrupulous elements.
He stated, “The aim of the protest is to show you what is happening in Kenya. I would add that what is happening in Kenya in terms of the protest, one, is violence. Two, it remains unresolved as we speak now
“So did you see from that? And based on what has been gathered, there are plans by some unscrupulous elements to hijack this protest and make sure that it turns violent. When it turns violent, I want to tell you what we have seen as it would likely happen.”
Young Kenyans recently launched peaceful rallies against unpopular tax hikes but they quickly descended into deadly violence, prompting President William Ruto to drop the planned increases.
Buba said, “For instance, there are signs of status-related violence such that persons with things as basic as a smartphone and car are targets. This does not leave out those who own a house, shop, or even use air conditioners in their houses.
“Other targets include; places of worship, businesses, markets, persons of other ethnic groups and members of opposing political parties among others. Believe me, when this happens, it is nothing but a state of anarchy, lawlessness.”
Buba stated that the military would leave no stone unturned to ensure the country does not descend into a state of anarchy.
“We have seen this in other parts of the world when we carried out peacekeeping operations. The military will not stand by and allow anarchy to befall our nation. It is our constitutional responsibility to make sure that that doesn’t happen.
“Some think that it is like when you watch Nollywood or whatever. Oh no, in real life, people stand to lose everything. I don’t need to speak too much. Go to IDP camps. You will see people that have money with big houses. They are living inside tents.
“Based on the foregoing, the level of violence envisaged is best described as a state of anarchy. It is for this reason the armed forces will not watch and allow the nation to spiral out of control to such low levels.
“It is for this reason that troops will act dutifully to forestall such ugly occurrences from happening in our nation,” he stated.
Buba noted that the timing and the hardship make the protest less than ideal for citizens.
He urged citizens to note that the timing and the atmosphere of hardship in the country make the planned protest different from others in the past.
He declared that the military’s involvement would be in accordance with constitutional provisions.
“However, for us in the military, the constitution is clear as to how and when the military gets involved. The constitution also clearly defines the roles and functions of the armed forces. On the other hand, while citizens have a constitutional right to peaceful protest, they do not have a right to mobilise for anarchy to unleash terror,” he concluded.