Nationwide protest: We’ve uncovered sponsors, they want to overthrow Tinubu’s govt -DSS

Chidimma Uchegbu – Abuja and IBRAHIM QUADRI

The Department of State Services (DSS) says it has uncovered the sponsors and funding lines of the national protests planned to hold in the country next month.

DSS, in a statement signed by its Director of Public Relations & Stratcoms, Peter Afunanya, on Thursday, said it has also confirmed a sinister plan by some elements to infiltrate the protest and use it to cause chaos and extreme violence in the country.

 

According to the statement, the long term objective is to achieve a regime change especially at the federal level of government headed by President Bola Tinubu.

 

The statement reads in full : “The Department of State Services (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 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 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. Meanwhile, the website, dss.gov.ng; email address – dsspr@dss.gov.ng and Telephone lines +2349153391309; +2349088373514 will remain available to the members of the public who may wish to contact the Service.”

 

It’ll  replicate what happened in Kenya, says DHQ

The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, on Thursday, expressed concern about the potential of violent elements to hijack the planned nationwide protest against hardship.

 

The DHQ added that intelligence reports show that the protest is a ploy to replicate what happened in Kenya. He advised Nigerians to shun the planned nationwide protest to avoid the country being thrown into a state of anarchy.

 

 

The Director, Defence Media Operations (DDMO )Major General Edward Buba gave the advice during the bi-weekly briefing on the ongoing military operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) held in Abuja .

 

Maj-Gen Buba expressed fear that the planned protest might have been influenced by several factors which includes terrorist groups among others with ulterior motives to destabilize the country.

 

He therefore warned that the planned protest could plunge the nation into state anarchy as is being witnessed in Kenya which has been violent and unresolved to date.

 

“Pertaining  to the planned nationwide protest, there are essentially several factors to be thoroughly examined. Some of which are whether or not the planned strike is motivated by opposition politics, independent parties, sovereign interference, terrorist groups or any numbers of organizations that  feed on the frustrations of Nigerians to create the situation.

 

“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 in order to unleash terror.

 

 

He added,”Given the situation, there are already indicators that, unscrupulous elements are bent on hijacking the planned protest for violent purposes.

 

“For instance, there are signs of status related violence such that persons with things as basic as a smart phone and car are targets. This does not leave out those that own a house, shop, or even use air conditioner in their houses. Other targets includes; places of worship, businesses, markets, persons of other ethnic groups and members of opposing political party among others.

 

“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 spiral out of control to such low levels.

 

“Basically, the military has been exposed to wars and have witnessed situations of anarchy in countries ravaged by war, particularly during ECOMOG or during peacekeeping operations. It is for this reason that, troops will act dutifully to forestall such ugly occurrences from happening in our nation.

 

“On the whole, citizens are urged to note that, both the timing and the atmosphere of hardship in the country makes the planned protest different from others in the past. It is therefore incumbent upon us all, to quench the fires of violence rather than ignite them.

 

“It is time to let, cool heads prevail in order for government to further remedy the situation and make our nation flourish again.”

 

Meanwhile, the DDMO revealed that in the past week troops neutralized

106 and arrested 164 persons. He also said troops arrested 32 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 103 kidnapped hostages.

 

“During the week under review, troops neutralised 106 and arrested 164 persons. Troops also arrested 32 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 103 kidnapped hostages. In the SS, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of Seven Hundred and Ninty Three Million Five Hundred and Thirty Six Thousand Naira (N793,536,000.00) only.

 

“Furthermore, troops recovered 125 assorted weapons and 1,522 assorted ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 41 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, 24 locally fabricated gun, 28 dane guns, one pump action gun, 755 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 623 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 102 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 63 live cartridges, 247 empty case of 7.62mm ammo, 22 AK47 magazines, one baofeng radio, 22 vehicles, 31 motorcycles, 2 bicycles, 10 mobile phones and the sum of N2,956,000.00 only amongst other items.

 

“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 20 dugout pits, 24 boats and 34 storage tanks. Other items recovered include 56 cooking ovens, 2 speedboats, 14 pumping machines, 18 drums, 22 vehicles, 4 motorcycles and 36 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 802,200 litres of stolen crude oil, 121,900 litres of illegally refined AGO and 450 litres of DPK,”he said.

 

 

.Afenifere calls for caution, advocates engagement

Meanwhile, The Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organization, Afenifere, has appealed to Nigerians to be circumspect on the issue of the nationwide protests being contemplated by some people in the country.

 

In a statement by the organisation’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi deposed that whilst the people have an inalienable right to protest, consideration should be given to the general atmosphere surrounding the planned protest.

 

“Information at the disposal of Afenifere is that the planned protest is to draw the attention of the government to the excruciating situation in the country. As the saying goes, those who feel it, know it. In other words, Nigerians consider protest as a way of registering their displeasure, perhaps disenchantment over what many are going through. It’s in order.

 

“But there are some factors that need to be put into consideration. First is whether protest is the only means by which government’s attention can be called to the perceived hardship in the land. And, if the protest path is to be taken, what form should it take?”

 

Afenifere spokesman stated that protest is certainly not the only way to draw attention to the situation in the land.

 

“Engagement is a very potent instrument not only to call attention to the situation on ground, but to decide on what the ways out should be.

 

“Incidentally, the federal government has not only expressed its awareness of what is going on in the country, it expressed a commitment to engagements with Nigerians so as to find solutions to the myriad of challenges that the country is facing. Challenges that are the basis for the planned protests.”

 

Ajayi recalled the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator  George  Akume, vowing that President  Ahmed Bola Tinubu and members of his government are committed to engaging  Nigerians including those behind the planned protest.

 

He added, “Going by experiences from similar protests in the recent past, it’s difficult to say that this one will achieve the objective of bettering the present situation because of the risks of being hijacked by hoodlums etc.”

.As Lagos Assembly begs youths to shelve action

However, The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday held a plenary session calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to take major steps to avert the planned nationwide protest in the State.

 

The lawmakers, in a ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’ brought by Majority Leader Noheem Adams, noted the devastation caused by the EndSARS protest of 2020 in Lagos and urged the governor to organise townhall meetings with major stakeholders to fashion out ways to calm the youth and those who plan to support proposed protest.

 

One of the meetings, according to the motion of the House, should be held between the governor and elected political leaders including senators, members of the House of Representatives and state lawmakers while a second meeting should be held with traditional rulers, religious leaders, heads of market, those in the transport sectors and related stakeholders.

 

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said it was necessary for state governments to do the needful to calm frayed nerves and ensure protection of lives and property.

 

Dr. Obasa said Lagos was still grappling with the impact of the EndSARS protest just as he appealed to the youth to be patient with the government of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu that is making effort to see a better Nigeria that would benefit the citizens.

 

The Speaker noted that Kenya is currently in a terrible situation adding that the crises in Sudan and Syria started in the same manner.

 

He commended the commissioner of police in Lagos, Adegoke Fayoade, for meeting with community heads over the planned protest.

 

Obasa called for an urgent meeting with all leaders, including religious, traditional and related organisations in the state for discussion that would help dissuade the youth from engaging in the protest.

 

Earlier in his motion, Hon. Adams (Eti-Osa 1) drew the attention of his colleagues to the planned protest.

 

“I want to plead with our people to shelve this protest,” he said noting that President Tinubu had shown that he is ready to listen to the citizens, especially as he has raised the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.

 

On his part, Hon. Kehinde Joseph expressed worry that the proposed protesters do not have leaders who can be discussed with.

 

He urged for patience stressing that whatever is happening in the country “affects us all.”

 

Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh said President Tinubu understands the problem in Nigeria and was taking the right steps against the country’s collapse.

 

He also urged Nigerians to start focusing on governors because federal allocations to states have grown under the President.

 

Other lawmakers who spoke during the debates urged parents to persuade their wards from joining the protest or allowing themselves to be used to commit crimes.