Protest: Police nab over 90 suspects calling for military takeover
Protest: Police nab over 90 suspects calling for military takeover
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Nigerian Police Force has confirmed the arrest of over ninety suspected individuals who are displaying foreign flags during protests and clamouring for the military takeover in Nigeria.
The police in a statement on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, named the demonstrations as treasonable felonies under Nigerian law.
Police in the statement stated that their ongoing investigations revealed that protest organisers in Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, and Katsina States are seducing innocent children into participating in unpatriotic and criminal acts.
The statement established that “Over ninety suspects have been arrested, including tailors who sewed the flags and their sponsors. Efforts are underway to apprehend others who sponsored the production of the flags and fuelled these treasonable acts. The display of foreign flags and calls for a military takeover constitutes a clear treasonable offense, revealing the motives of protest organizers to destabilize Nigeria’s democratic government.
“This aligns with actionable intelligence on the tactics of fifth columnists and non-state actors exploiting economic hardship protests to further their nefarious goals. Tensions from the ongoing protests have eased following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s address on August 4, 2024. However, some groups persist in subversive campaigns in the form of violent and unlawful protests, characterized by the destruction of public infrastructure and private property, looting, display of foreign flags, and calls for a military takeover. These individuals and groups will be treated as subversive agents and charged accordingly.”
However, Adejobi confirmed that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed the Deputy Inspectors General of Police for the Northwest and Northeast zones, Bala Ciroma, and Bello Makwashi to take charge of operations in the states within the two geo-political zones where subversive campaigns are ongoing under the guise of protests.
They are tasked according to the statement to stabilise the situation and prevent further violence in the affected states.
“The Nigeria Police Force reiterates that the use of foreign flags during protests and openly calling for a military takeover of the government is a capital offence under Nigerian law. The Police cautions Nigerian youths to be wary of individuals and groups turning protests into business ventures, funded by local or foreign sponsors aiming to destabilise the country. Evidence shows that these sponsors have paid significant sums to exploit the hardship protests, brainwashing and misleading innocent children into aiding this campaign against the government.
“The Nigerian Police Force salutes Nigerians who have refused to participate in and indeed spoke out against the ill-timed protest out of sheer patriotism and belief in the government’s genuine efforts to put the country on the path of economic recovery and growth. We also acknowledge the patriotism of those who peacefully participated in the protests but withdrew when they turned violent, and those who heeded the President’s call to embrace dialogue by withdrawing from the protests,” the statement noted.
Adejobi in the statement stated that the police are committed to maintaining peace, protecting the nation’s heritage and working with the public to ensure the safety and stability of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Dailyeconomy on Saturday, August 3, reported that the NPF confirmed the death of seven individuals and the total arrest of 681 in the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests across the country.
