Army Allege Hijack of Planned National Hunger Protests

The Nigeria Army and the Department of State Service say they have uncovered plans to hijack the protest.

The Defence Headquarters thus called on the organisers of the protesters to sheathe their swords. Speaking in an interview with one of our correspondents on Thursday, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major-General Edward Buba, urged the organisers to embrace dialogue with the government.

Buba said, “Accordingly, the protesters are urged to shield their swords and opt for dialogue. We must quench the fire of violence, rather than ignite the fire. Cool heads must be allowed to prevail in order to save our nation from anarchy.”

Buba said intelligence at the military’s disposal showed that the proposed nationwide protest would be hijacked by unscrupulous elements.

“Based on what has been gathered, there are plans by some unscrupulous elements to hijack this protest and make sure that it turns violent. I want to tell you what we have seen, it will likely happen.”

He also said car and business owners, as well as members of opposition parties different from the protesters’ party, might be attacked during the protest.

Buba said, “For instance, there are signs of status-related violence such that persons with things as basic as smartphones and cars are targets. This does not leave out those who own houses, shops 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 added, “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 doesn’t happen.

“Some think that it is like when you watch Nollywood or whatever. No, in real life people stand to lose everything. I don’t need to speak too much. Go to IDP camps, you will see rich people with big houses now living in 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.”

Buba stated that the military’s involvement in the planned protests would be in accordance with the constitutional provisions.

Buba stated, “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 protests, they do not have a right to mobilise for anarchy to unleash terror.”

Similarly, the DSS warned the organisers of the planned nationwide protest against proceeding with it.

In a statement on Thursday, DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, described the motive behind the protest as political.

The service said it uncovered a plan by some criminal elements to hijack the protest and cause unrest in the country.

It stated, “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.’’

Afunanya warned the protesters to eschew any form of anarchy in the interest of peace.

He said, “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, and 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.”

In Oyo State, Fatai Owoseni, the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Seyi Makinde, admonished those planning to participate in the protest to ensure that the demonstrations were peaceful and orderly, stating that the state would not condone lawlessness.

At the meeting, which was held at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat, Ibadan, Owoseni said it was convened to prepare for the planned protest and also engage different interest groups.

He charged residents of the state to express their rights peacefully without vandalising properties, stealing, burglary or involving in any form of criminal offence that may disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the state.

Tinubu ‘peaceful protester’

Meanwhile, the President pledged that his administration would uphold democratic principles, including the right to protest, but would not condone demonstrations that lead to the destruction of lives and 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 stated this while receiving a Letter of Credence from the newly appointed United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Richard Mills Jr. on Thursday in Abuja.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed the exchange at the ceremony in a statement titled, ‘President Tinubu receives US ambassador, underscores the importance of sustaining democracy, its norms and institutions.’

Tinubu said this against the backdrop of allegations that his government was attempting to suppress the citizens’ right to protest against economic hardship.

The President had also been criticised for leading street protests against previous administrations in the country.

In a post on X on Tuesday, former Vice President Atiku said it was ironic that those stifling rights of Nigerians to protest in 2024 were leading protesters in 2012.

In reply to his critics, Tinubu stated, “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.

“We have worked hard to ensure 25 years of unbroken democracy and I will continue to maintain this democracy.”

Opposition charges President

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Shehu Gabam, has asked President Tinubu to address the nation ahead of the planned August 1 nationwide protests.

Gabam stated this during Thursday evening’s Politics Today programme on Channels Television.

The SDP chairman urged the President to address the nation, to clear misconceptions in the minds of the citizens, adding that he should not continue to rely on “second layers” of dishing out information.

“What I expect this President to do as the number one citizen is to address the country. This is my first expectation. All other things are secondary layers. Let me tell you what it would do; people are angry, and so many perceptions have been created out there.

“He needs to clear this perception that no, Nigerians, I know what is going on, I have access to all your complaints, and I will address them. Relying on second layers of dishing out information at this critical time is not advisable for him.

“He is the number one stakeholder, he is the one to bear the brunt, he is the one who applied for the job, he is the one who said he’s going to correct the problems, so he needs to address the nation, beyond any other thing,” he said.

Gabam, while commending the interventions of security agencies and traditional rulers to dissuade Nigerians from staging the protest, however, urged the government to facilitate quick interventions by dialoguing with identified sponsors of the protest.

“If they know the organisers, what they need to do as a government is a quick intervention. Sit down with them, dialogue with them, and find out what the problems are. And of course, if there are criminal elements that will hijack the process, the essence of having security all over the world is to create deterrence.”

He added that his party would not participate in the August 1 protest, but would endorse protests that were “devoid of any act of violence, or anarchy, or killing or barbarism.”

“We have drawn lines of our endorsements, in line with the provisions of the Constitution, where citizens are guaranteed to protest peacefully by disagreeing with the policies and programmes of the government,” he added.