A group, under the aegis of the Patriotism Awareness Forum (PAF), has urged the Federal Government and security agencies to come down hard on those still sponsoring and perpetrating violent protests in a few Northern states, saying that they should ensure this because those involved in the act were bent on causing maximum mayhem and destruction to the lives and properties of peace-loving Nigerians.
PAF made the call on Tuesday in a release issued by its convener, Comrade Nelson Ekujumi, and the co-convener, Peter Claver Oparah, a copy of which was made available to newsmen, saying that the Federal Government should “particularly go after those sewing, distributing, and hoisting the flags of a foreign country within Nigeria’s sovereign territory during these so-called protests of insurrection and anarchy, as their action amounts to a treasonable felony meant to destabilise Nigeria.”
The group expressed the belief that those still carrying out what it described as the dastardly violent protests were trying hard to ensure that their exposed dangerous and sinister motives that would endanger the country if not checked came to fruition.
It warned that Nigeria cannot afford to tolerate desperate, opportunistic characters and agents of destabilisation who hide their sinister intentions in the so-called hunger protest while sponsoring and inciting largely uninformed persons to instigate anarchy with a view to topple a democratically elected government and endanger the peace and security of the country.
“We note the bizarre incidences where so-called protesters are hoisting and waving the flags of a foreign country and carrying placards demanding that the same country invade and colonise Nigeria.
“This remains a very condemnable and dangerous act of treason for which we demand the government and security agencies crack down and bring these nefarious elements and their hidden sponsors to justice.
“PAF wonders what could have given traction to such sinister action if not the worst case of desperation and devilish self-interests against the collective interest of fatherland?” the group queried.
“We urge the government and the security agencies to descend heavily on the perpetrators and their sponsors to serve indelible lessons to those who might have been prodding them, even from outside Nigeria, to prove that Nigeria is an independent country that is capable of resisting the affront to her sovereignty,” it said.
PAF, while making the demand, enjoined the Federal Government to draw lessons from the broadcast by the new British Prime Minister, Sir Kerr Stammer, who, over the weekend, issued a very stern warning to violent protesters in his country that the government would crack down and deal with them decisively.
According to the group, such an approach is the universal norm for violent protests, riots, and threats to a country’s security and sovereignty, saying that Nigeria should not be an exception, even as it further urged “the government and the security agencies to, henceforth, crack down on those still sponsoring and carrying out violent protests in a few Northern states as their ulterior motives, which are now very clear, are to endanger our democracy, peace, and country.”
“We particularly urge the security agencies to arrest and prosecute those hoisting the flag of a foreign country and carrying placards asking the foreign country to colonise Nigeria, which amounts to high treason. Enough is enough!” PAF warned.
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