DSS identifies sponsors of Aug. 1 protest, warns against action
..says Organisers Planning To Overthrow Tinubu
…Tinubu Holds Emergency Meeting With Sultan, Ooni, IGP, Others
…Ooni, Dein, Zazzau Emir others plead for peace
….I was part of protest against military without being violent, Tinubu
…We Won’t Allow You Destroy This Country, Military Warns Protesters
The Department of State Services on Thursday warned against the planned nationwide protest against hardship in the country.
The agency said on Thursday that it had already identified the sponsors of the planned protest and warned them not to proceed with it as it is not in Nigeria’s interest.
The warning is contained in a press statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Dr. Peter Afunanya, and made available to Vanguard.
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 planners 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 a 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 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.
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“This has become important given that violence begets destruction of lives and property as well as serve 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.
“Similarly, parents, guardians, heads of traditional and academic institutions are respectively urged to advise their children, wards, subjects and students not to take part in the planned protest. Let us all join hands to build a Nation without rancour, bitterness or stained banner.
“The Service will work with other sister security and law enforcement agencies to maintain peace. It will, where necessary, apply all legitimate methods to achieve this,” the DSS said.
Protest: Ooni, Dein, Zazzau Emir others plead for peace in meeting with Tinubu
Royal fathers from across the country, who met with President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, warned against protests that may be hijacked and violent.
Their meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja came against the backdrop of the protest planned by some youth to take place on August 1.
Speaking to correspondents after the meeting with the president, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, affirmed that it is the civic right of Nigerians to protest, but they must be sure that it will not be hijacked.
He said, “People that are out there to protest, it’s their civic right, but let them put a face to it and don’t let it be hijacked by people that have ulterior motives. That is our stand.
“We condemn such acts fully; we traditional rulers are not engaged in people, especially the youth, coming out to start looting and to start breaking down law and order.
“We are parents; we are traditional rulers; we are closer to them; we are going to go back home and continue to engage them.
“It is very difficult to build, but it is the easiest to destroy. We are all stakeholders in this country; we should be stronger as a nation together than individually.
“The President has said it, and he will continue to say it. Any leader that you don’t like, wait and vote him out. He is open to dialogue.
“We know that challenges exist in Nigeria; we know that, but are we going to destroy our nation by ourselves? Is that what we’re all after?
“We should talk to ourselves. It’s important for us to know that today, it’s a completely different spin. The government, ably led by the President, is willing to engage and dialogue and bring governance very close to the people.”
The Ooni stressed the commitment of President Tinubu, saying that he has carried the traditional rulers along in governance in a way that has never been done by previous administrations.
Oba Ogunwusi added: “Today it’s a new twist and a new spin from the political leadership of our dear country. For the very first time, the traditional rulers were properly engaged in terms of the plans of government and governance, their achievements so far, and where they were having challenges.
“This is long-awaited. We’ve been waiting for it, but today we’re very excited because we’re closer to our people and we can bring that feedback back home.
“Stewardship from the Federal Executive Council, directly to the traditional rulers, has never happened in our nation before. This is the first time we’re all experiencing it.
“We have traditional rulers who have been on the throne for 40 or 50 years; today is the very first time we will be addressed properly by the Federal Executive Council.
So there is a proper bridge between the governed and the people in charge of government.
“So, it’s a very beautiful take-home for us because we don’t lock our palaces; we are more exposed to the people that we actually rule over.
So, it’s a different twist and spin from our dear President, and I want to use this medium, on behalf of all traditional rulers, to appreciate him. No leader in Nigeria has ever done it. So for us, it’s all-encompassing.”
On his part, Dein of Agbor, Keagborekuzi 1 Ikechuku Gbenoba, revealed that, from what the president told the monarchs, the government is finally recognising that the country is in dire straits.
He warned that care must be taken not to set the country on fire.
The Agbor King stated: “The take-home message for me is that, hearing from Mr President directly, I can see the passion.
“But at the same time, I think the government is finally understanding we are on the precipice.
“Our youths are our future, and I think today we’ve demonstrated that the government, with the officials, do have the hearts of the nation in our minds. We will listen to our youths because they lead the future.
“The power and strength of Nigeria certainly lie with the young people. We feel your pain; I’m a young person myself.
“It’s been 24 years since I’ve been back, and it’s been 24 years since I’ve started seeing the nation go in a very unpalatable direction, but by God’s grace, I think if you give us the chance, this protest, I know that it’s catching very high in your neck, but if you give us the chance, let us not destroy our own country.
“I’ll ask you what you think of Libya. Libya was a beautiful country. What has happened to Libya? We don’t want it to happen here.
“Let’s go home. Let’s continue to strive the best that we can and continue to work with the government to see if we can offer some solutions.
“I think that that would be best rather than to destroy property or injure ourselves.”
Also speaking, the Emir of Zazzau, Nuhu Bamali, called for patience, confident that Nigeria will regain its lost glory.
“Nobody will be worried about the protests in any place in the world, and we have seen what has happened in other countries and governments being brought down.
“As an ex-diplomat, I have seen what happened in other countries, and that is why I am in a position to say what happens in other places.
“So, we are calling on our people to exercise patience and listen to the words of wisdom. We are very optimistic Nigeria will bounce back to its former position as the leading country in Africa,” the Zazzau Emir stated.
He added that the royal fathers apprised Tinubu of the problem in the North, particularly insecurity.
“The message we are giving back to our people is to be calm, exercise patience, and also listen to the words of wisdom coming from the government.
“The president has given us the blueprint of what he has been doing over time, and we are hopeful that, by God’s grace, it will be alright.
“Though we have made it very clear to him, the main problem in this country, especially in the north, is insecurity. If the security situation is addressed, certainly people will go back to their farms, and the issue of hunger will drastically reduce and disappear,” Bamali declared.
I was part of protest against military without being violent, says Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu says he took part in the protest against the military regime in the country but was not violent.
Tinubu spoke on Thursday at the presidential villa when he received a letter of credence from Richard Mille Jr., the new United States ambassador to Nigeria.
The president said he has worked to uphold Nigeria’s 25 years of unbroken democracy.
”Our relationship with America is rich. We believe in democracy and freedom,” Tinubu said.
“Some of your predecessors worked hard during our transition to democracy, and we remember the likes of Ambassador Howard Jeter.
”We look forward to Nigeria and the United States continuously working to expand cooperation on shared goals and democratic values.
”During the military era, we made our voices heard against dictatorship, and I was part of the group that engaged in peaceful protests without resorting to the destruction of property.
”In as much as we believe that demonstrations are part of democracy, we will never encourage any protests that lead to the destruction of lives and property.”
Tinubu told the US ambassador that Nigeria is ready to play its role as the largest democracy in Africa.
The president added that the continent needs a mutually beneficial partnership with the US.
Mills said the US will continue to support Nigeria’s democracy to survive.
Earlier, the president received letters of credence from Aiyub Bin Omar, high commissioner of Malaysia to Nigeria, and Phild Nani Kereng, high commissioner of Botswana.
The president’s comment on the protest comes amid reports of a planned youth-led nationwide demonstration over the pervasive economic hardship.
The protest is reportedly billed to commence on August 1.
The federal government and Tinubu have appealed to those behind the protest to shelve the demonstration.
Planned Protest: Tinubu Holds Emergency Meeting With Sultan, Ooni, IGP, Others
As the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for August draws close, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday entered an emergency closed-door meeting with top traditional rulers, security top brass in his government and governors of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The high-delegation meeting was held at the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The APC governors were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.
Some first-class traditional rulers were spotted at the meeting with the President. They include the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III; and other traditional leaders across the country.
The meeting was also attended by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; as well as ministers and other members of the President’s cabinet
A delegation of Islamic scholars (Ulamas) later joined the high-powered meeting with the President.
Last-Minute Efforts
Tinubu, former Lagos governor, who was sworn in as President in May 2023, has appealed to displeased youths to shelve the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for next month.
As part of moves to placate aggrieved citizens, the President sent a bill to raise the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 to the National Assembly this week. Both chambers of the legislature speedily passed the bill on Tuesday, awaiting the President’s assent.
On Thursday, the military authorities warned that unscrupulous elements plan to hijack the protest and use it to stage anarchy like what was recently witnessed in East African country Kenya.
The police had also warned against bloody demonstrations come next month just as Uzodimma surmised that the protest could be hijacked and turn violent like the EndSARS nationwide protest against police brutality back in October 2020.
The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organisers of the protest have been faceless.
Prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.
We Won’t Allow You Destroy This Country, Military Warns Protesters
The Defence Headquarters has warned those mobilising for a nationwide protest that while it is their right to protest, it will not condone anarchy.
Salient Times reports 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,
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, 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 after military incursion.
The Lagos State government had declared a curfew but protesters refused to leave Lekki Tollgate in Lagos, which was the central coordination unit.
Soldiers had invaded the tollgate, dispersing them forcefully. Although there were reported deaths and injuries, the Federal Government and military authorities denied harming the protesters
