- As Military Warns Anarchy Won’t Be Condoned
- APC Govs Admit Economic Pain
The Department of State Services (DSS) says it has identified those behind the planned nationwide protest.
In a statement, yesterday, DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, who said the service was applying a “non-kinetic measure and conflict resolution” to address the impending protest, however, warned against the planned nationwide protest in the country.
The security outfit warned that it had intelligence that the planned protest would be hijacked by hoodlums to cause chaos and extreme violence in the country.
The statement alleged that the goal of the arrow heads is to cause regime change, especially at the centre.
Part of the statement reads: “the DSS has followed the discourse on planned protests in parts of the country in the coming weeks by persons and groups yet to identify themselves in the public as leaders of the plot.
“While peaceful protest is a democratic right of citizens, the Service has confirmed a sinister plan by some elements to infiltrate the protest and use it to cause chaos and extreme violence in the land. It has also identified the reason behind the protest to be political.
“The plotters desire to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments; make them unpopular and pit them against the masses. The long-term objective is to achieve regime change, especially at the centre. “The Service has also identified, among others, the funding lines, sponsors and collaborators of the plot. “However, it does not think that aggression should be the first line of action in the instance, in handling the emerging scenario. It has instead, variously applied non-kinetic and conflict resolution strategies, including moral suasion, stakeholder engagement and other multi-track diplomatic shuttles, to dissuade the planners from actualising their undesirable objective.
“Based on the foregoing, the Service wishes to warn all the protest groups to eschew any form of proposed rage, anarchy and spoliation. “While the different levels of government have routinely explained their agenda to ameliorate alleged harsh economic conditions, the Service urges the prospective protesters to listen to the voice of reason, good conscience and patiently engage with the authorities, in the interest of peace.
“This has become important given that violence begets the destruction of lives and property as well as serves as a distraction to governance. “The agitators are encouraged to use ample ways available to them to channel their grievances without resorting to violence. “The Service calls on people of goodwill, leaders of thought, captains of industry, labour unions, student associations, youth leaders, the civil society, clergy, NGOs, women groups, civil servants and politicians to shun any invitation to participate in any orchestrated violence, deliberately designed to cause disaffection in the country,” the DSS said.Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters has warned those mobilising for a nationwide protest that while it is their right to protest, it will not condone anarchy.
It was gathered that some persons are mobilising for nationwide protest slated for August 1 to August 10, 2024. Tagged #EndBadGovernace#, organisers of the protest have lamented about widespread hunger and inflation in the land,
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said the military won’t allow anarchy to befall Nigeria. He added that the military has uncovered plots by unscrupulous elements to hijack the protest and turn it into a violent one by attacking innocent Nigerians and their businesses.
“While citizens have the right to peaceful protest, they do not have the right to mobilise for anarchy and unleash terror.”
“I will say that the contemporary context of this planned protest is to shadow what is happening in Kenya and I will add that what is happening in Kenya in terms of protest, one, it is violence, two, it remains unresolved as we speak. “The level of violence being envisaged can only be described as a stage for anarchy. The Armed Forces on its part will not stand by and allow anarchy to befall our nation. This is because we have seen wars and have witnessed anarchy in countries with which we have operated, particularly in times of ECOMOG (Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group) and during our peacekeeping operations in various countries.” A similar protest in 2020 ended in violence till after military incursion
… As APC Govs Admit Economic Pain
Also, the Progressives Governors’ Forum, has begged Nigerians to exercise restraint, saying it acknowledged that the ongoing reforms and economic policies of President Bola Tinubu are experiencing a teething challenge. The governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), however, expressed conviction that the nation would pull through.
Addressing journalists after a closed-door meeting, the Chairman of the PGF and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, appealed to Nigerian youths to snub the planned demonstration and allow the president to fix the country. He said, “We have looked at the various policies of this government, and we acknowledge a teething problem associated with the initial stage of the programme and agree that because we are very hopeful, it is also the solution to the current problem and economic hardship that has befallen our country. “In a very short time, we are confident that the situation will be restored. Prosperity would come at the end of the day. We use this opportunity to advise our young boys and girls, young men and women, to desist from being instigated into causing crisis or chaos in the country.
“Already, Nigerians have suffered enough. The global economic recession, insecurity in Nigeria, political tension occasioned by instigations and campaigns of calumny by the opposition party, and social media attacks on various policies of the government.
“We want to advise for the interest of the country and a show of patriotism. Our citizens must take ownership of this country. We have no other country we can call our own. We took the opportunity also to agree to explain to the larger Nigerians that this government is doing well.”
