AS the August 1 date for the nationwide protest threatened by some Nigerians to express their objection to the general hardship in the country draws near, palpable tension has continued to grip the country, particularly the North.
Competent sources told Saturday Tribune that while the protest organisers remain anonymous, government and security forces should focus more on the North where it is feared violence may ensue.
“The North is on edge. It appears even the traditional rulers and religious leaders, for the first time, have limited control over the people because of the acute mass hunger and suffering in the region.
“The region also has a large number of disgruntled politicians who may hijack the protest. However, all hands are on deck to ensure that that peace reigns,” one of the sources said.
Amidst concerns over the proposed protest, the Lagos State police command stressed on Friday that it would not allow another EndSARS violence in the state.
The command warned residents in different parts of the state not to attack any protester and allow security operatives to perform their duty.
The state Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, at separate stakeholders meetings at Campus Square, Lagos Island and Ajah, gave the assurance that adequate policemen and resources had been deployed to prevent any breakdown of law and order under the guise of protest.
Fayoade said to participants at the meeting: “I want to begin by thanking you all for the support for the police and other security agencies.
“The support has been very great. We have no choice but to serve you very diligently with all our hearts and our might.
“I want to assure you that the protest will not affect your day-to-day business activities and your movement. We will ensure tight security in Lagos State. That is our promise and we will stand by it.
“There have been a lot of threats on social media about the proposed protest. That is no more a protest. The constitution allows protest but it must not impede the right of any person.
“Any protest that leads to looting, breaking into stores and others public and private places is not protest.
“Policemen and other resources will be deployed to all the nooks and crannies of Lagos State.
“I don’t think we need any protest in this country now. I agree that the prices of essential things have gone up but we cannot get anything right by resorting to violence and damaging what the government has been able to do with the taxpayers’ money over the years.
“The protesters should go back to the drawing board and see why there is no need for protesting. Hardship is not peculiar to Nigeria.”
The commissioner added: “Once Lagos is shut down for one, two, three days, the economy of Nigeria will be badly affected.
“We want a Lagos where business and social activities will be on for 24 hours. We reserve a right to have a peaceful and secure Lagos.
“We must not allow it to degenerate into what happened during the #EndSARS and what is happening in Kenya.
“Go back home and convince the people, especially the youth, who are at the vanguard of this [planned] protest to shelve the idea. We don’t want confusion in Lagos State. We want peace.”
This is just as the state government pleaded with aggrieved residents warming up for the exercise, especially the youth, to embrace peace.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, made the plea on Friday in an interview with Saturday Tribune.
He said the plea became imperative because the state was making progress which should be allowed to continue.
Omotoso recalled the destruction that occurred during the #EndSARS episode which he said the state was yet to recover from.
The commissioner begged the youth and all other citizens who are angry to take it easy, giving the assurance that the hardship in the country would soon end.
“We are looking for peace. We are appealing for peace. Lagos is making progress. There is no need to stop it. We don’t want anarchy. We have experienced it before during the #EndSARS and up till now, we have not recovered from it.
“We are begging all our youths, they should take it easy. All those who are angry, take it easy, it shall be well. I usually refer to an Ethiopian proverb that says that a horse can take you to a battle but it cannot fight for you.
“We agree that things may be hard in the land, in the country, but we know that the present situation cannot last forever, it is a question of time. We are begging that people should continue to be patient,” Omotoso stated.
On interventions to address the hardship in the state, the commissioner said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration would continue to reduce the burden of economic hardship on Lagosians.
He reiterated his call on Lagosians to be patient, saying that there should be no protest in the state “because you can see that we have a government that is working, we have a government that is caring, we have a government that is credible and willing to help the people, and Lagosians, by nature, are peaceful people.”
Saturday Tribune correspondents monitored the situation in states across the North as citizens await the planned protest with bated breath.
Kebbi
In Kebbi State, there are no indications of an impending protest, although the state is among the 35 states of the federation slated for the mass protest by the organisers.
According to feelers from the police and other security agencies in the state, there are no indications of any protest coming up for now.
A security source said in the event of any protest, “we will be able to stand up to it and ensure that it is peaceful. If it goes the other way, we shall handle it adequately and professionally.”
Benue
The Benue State police command said it is prepared for the proposed protest.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, a Superintendent of Police, who spoke to Saturday Tribune on Thursday, said the state Commissioner of Police, Hassan Steve Yabanet, would be meeting with officers and men of the command to fashion out strategies to moderate the activities of the protesters.
According to Anene, the command is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure the protection of the lives and property of the people of the state.
“Today, the Commissioner of Police, Hassan Steve Yabanet, is having a briefing with all the officers in the state on how to handle the situation.
“The command is prepared for them,” the police image maker said.
Plateau
The government Plateau State and law enforcement agencies declared that there are no indications that such protest will take place in the state.
According to the Commissioner of Information, Musa Ashoms, the state government is monitoring the situation, even as there are no signs that the protest will take place in the state.
Ashoms described the hardship in the country as a general one which both the government and the citizens are managing.
The state police command, through its Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo, stated that it is prepared for any protest in the state and expressed readiness to protect life and property while the demonstration lasts.
“We equally sound a note of warning to anyone or group who might want to use the protest to foment trouble under any guise that men of the command are ready to curtail such and deal decisively with the situation.
“We are not sure if there will be any protest in the state, because there is no clue to that effect at the moment but we are here and ready to safeguard life and property,” he said.
Zamfara
The Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Dalijan, described those planning the protest as criminals, bandits, illegal miners, robbers and unemployed youths who want to loot people’s property.
Dalijan said his command would not allow a disruption of the public peace and order to happen in the state.
The commissioner, at a stakeholders meeting held at the command’s headquarters in Gusau, appealed to those planning the protest to stop.
According to him, the reason behind the stakeholders meeting was to persuade the planners to stop the protest.
He blamed the food crisis in the North on bandits, saying they did not give farmers a chance to work last year.
Dalijan stated that 85 per cent of farmers in the North could not have access to their farms last year, pointing out that the food crisis was not caused by the government.
He, however, said there is improvement in the security situation, noting that “many of the bandits want to repent and drop their activities.”
He called for a stronger collaboration between the civil populace and security agencies in tackling the security challenges in the state.
Taraba
In Taraba State, the acting Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kwache Gambo, told Saturday Tribune that the command is collaborating with other security agencies to ensure that people conduct themselves peacefully if the protest comes to fruition.
Gambo said violent protest would not be tolerated from any member of the public in the state.
“We are working in collaboration with other security agencies to ensure that the protest is peaceful.
“Our men are on the ground and have been instructed not to allow any form of violence or criminality during the protest,” the PPRO stated.
Jigawa
As part of the Jigawa State government’s efforts to contain the planned protest, Governor Malam Umar Namadi convened a town hall meeting at the Government House, Dutse, where he appealed to the people of the state and youths in particular to shun anything that could mar the peace in the state and country as a whole.
Governor Namadi said, “Protest is not the solution to Nigeria’s problems. I appeal to you all to consider them [the problems] as an act of God.
“We are all Muslims, we believe whatever happens – good or bad – is from Allah, who has all powers to do and undo. The government is aware of the problems and is doing a lot to bring lasting solutions.”
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Ahmed Tijjani Abdullahi, warned agitators to desist from any action that could breach the existing peace in the state, saying that security operatives in the state would take drastic measures against any troublemaker, irrespective of his or her status.
The meeting was attended by stakeholders, including traditional rulers and religious leaders, civil society organisations, student unions and members of ethnic groups.
Kwara
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State expressed confidence that the people of the state are peaceful and thoughtful and will avoid any action that may disrupt the peace of the state or cause destruction of lives and businesses.
“I am confident that the people of Kwara, whether old or young, understand that challenges of life are not to be tackled through actions that may cause further damage or have negative consequences for themselves, their families, our state and our country,” the governor said in a statement.
He added: “Kwarans learn from history. Together, as a people, we faced the horror of the EndSARS protest that some roughnecks used as a smokescreen to loot properties, businesses and attack innocent citizens.
“We had to deploy scarce resources to support many of the businesses that were ruined so that no further job losses would be recorded. The scars of EndSARS still remain with many families today.
“I understand that many of our citizens want faster actions to ease the economic situation. This is a valid concern to which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all of us in government continue to respond through multidimensional approaches. However, the worst we can do to ourselves at this time is to adopt any action that may worsen things, especially for businesses or public infrastructure put in place to serve all of us.
“To our young people, social media influencers, and opinion moulders, I urge you to help mobilise for national growth, peace, harmony, improved socioeconomic development, general well-being, and stability. Let us avoid any action that may end in collective regret, loss of lives, or destruction of our common patrimony. A protest of any kind, however well-intentioned, may trigger off destructive actions. Let us not give in to whatever temptations to set off our state or country on the path of instability.
“I commend the different stakeholders in the state, including community associations across the state, for mobilising for peace and stability. That is the way to go as our challenges will not disappear when we turn against one another. Our challenges are better discussed and steadily resolved in an atmosphere of peace and stability.”
Similarly, the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said that it had mapped out strategies to manage the August 1 planned protest.
Speaking with Saturday Tribune on Thursday in Ilorin, the Public Relations Officer, Ayoola Michael Shola, said the command had deployed personnel in strategic locations across the state.
“The command has mapped out effective measures to manage the protest peacefully and maintain order by deploying additional personnel to strategic locations across the state.
“Adequate measures will also be in place to protect critical national assets and infrastructure that may be at risk due to criminal elements who might exploit the protest to engage in destruction and vandalism of essential facilities.
“We will coordinate closely with other security agencies to ensure effective response to any incidents, effective management of the protest to prevent potential escalation,” the NSCDC spokesman said.
Kano
Also, in Kano State, the NSCDC said it had deployed no fewer than 500 personnel to provide adequate security for lives and property during the proposed protest.
In an interview with Saturday Tribune on Thursday in Kano, the corps’ Public Relation Officer, Ibrahim Idris, disclosed that the command had mapped out strategies to give the people of the state the necessary security cover.
Idris disclosed that the state NSCDC commandant, Muhammad Lawan Kalala, directed the deployment of the officers and men in uniform and plain clothes from every unit of the command.
Adamawa
Despite declarations by the two major political parties in Adamawa State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) that they are not going be party to the planned nationwide protest, the state Commissioner of Police, Morris Dankombo, summoned an emergency security meeting with stakeholders in the state.
Dankombo, according to a statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, invited leaders of no fewer than 15 unions and organisations, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), to the meeting, which will be held today at the Police Officers Mess by 10am.
It said the meeting was aimed at seeing how the planned protest could be contained should it hold.
Other stakeholders invited to the meeting include traditional leaders, religious leaders, student leaders, labour leaders and trade union leaders.
Others are leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) and market women’s leaders.
In the meantime, there is security presence at major flashpoints in Yola, the state capital.
Anambran
The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam, said his command would not tolerate any violent protest in the state.
Itam, while briefing newsmen after parading some suspected criminals in Awka, on Friday, noted that any intended protester should visit the command for proper identification.
“We are not stopping any law abiding citizen from protesting, but they should be peaceful and orderly. We want those who wish to participate in the August 1 protest to identify themselves properly with the security agencies in the state and state the location where the protest will take place.
“Our responsibility is to protect the life and property of every Nigerian, irrespective of where he/she resides,” the commissioner said.
NYCN puts Nigerian youths on standby
Meanwhile, as part of preparations for the much talked about nationwide protest, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has initiated consultations and instructed its 104 affiliated youth organisations to remain on standby.
In a communique after an emergency meeting of the national executive, 36 state chairmen and other stakeholders, the NYCN expressed concern over the severe socio-economic challenges and widespread hardship faced by Nigerians, especially the youth.
The NYCN, in the communique signed by its president, Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, announced its plan to hold a press conference on Wednesday to address the world on current issues and its stance on the upcoming protest.
The communique reads in part: “NYCN leaders acknowledged that the current socio-economic challenges facing Nigeria, including rising inflation, insecurity, unemployment and the general hardship experienced by citizens, particularly the youth, have reached alarming levels.
“These issues have sparked widespread agitation and calls for a nationwide protest. The NYCN, as the umbrella body representing over 100 youth organisations across the country, recognises the urgency of these matters and the need for a coordinated response.
“Top of the discussion was economic hardship. The economic situation in Nigeria has deteriorated, with inflation making it difficult for many citizens to afford basic necessities, including food.
“Also of great concern to the youth leaders is unemployment, particularly among young graduates, which has reached critical levels, contributing to frustration and restlessness among the youth.”
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