Protest in Abuja loses momentum as govt restrictions take toll on demonstrators
In Abuja, the protests significantly dwindled ebbed, with only two women, Ene Obi and Hauwa Mustapha, seen holding a sit-out at the Moshood Abiola stadium yesterday.
Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police, announced yesterday that some of the actual sponsors of rioters who waved foreign flags and demanded a change of government in states like Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, among others, have been apprehended by the police.
As the IGP was speaking, Kemi Nandap, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, said that those who had sponsored foreign flags flown by the rioters had been found to be foreign nationals.
This comes despite warnings from service leaders that the military will not watch helplessly as the nation descends into chaos, notably General Christoper Musa, the Chief of Defense Staff, and Lt General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff.
These came yesterday, as the protest in Port Harcourt intensified, with the protesters marching to the private residence of Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, and blocking the popular East-West road and other major roads in the state to traffic.
However, there was a thaw in Kano, where the state government modified its dusk-to-dawn curfew between 6 am and 6 pm, and Kaduna, where the curfew imposed by the state government brought about a lull in the city.
We’ve arrested real sponsors of rioters carrying foreign flags, calling for change of govt — IGP
IGP Egbetokun also disclosed that funders of the violence and subversion both within and outside the country had been tracked, with their accounts blocked and sources of funding stopped.
Egbetokun and other security chiefs spoke at the joint media briefing summoned by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa at Defence Headquarters in Abuja yesterday, noted that the Police had been careful in managing the crisis without deploying water cannons, live and/or rubber bullets but only teargas.
He said the reported shooting of an innocent protester in Kubwa, Abuja, was not the handiwork of Police operatives but armed robbers or armed hoodlums.
“Since August 1, nobody has fired gunshots and we didn’t use force on innocent protesters. We only provided security for them. Even amid the protest, we have arrested several armed robbers, and criminal elements who stole and committed other offences.
Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Garba, also yesterday said his command arrested no fewer than six Spanish nationals in connection with the protest.
CP Garba, who made this known in a phone interview with Vanguard, said the command also arrested 76 others, including the tailor sewing Russian flags, saying the command is on the trail of the sponsor.
“We have arrested six Spanish nationals and 76 others, including the tailor. We recovered 23 Russian flags, we are trailing the sponsor.
“They have been transferred to Force Headquarters because it has to do with sedition and national security,” the CP stated.
On her part, the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, revealed that Diaspora sponsors of protesters have been placed on the agency’s watchlist.
Nandap, who didn’t reveal any name, added that the watch-listed individuals will be arrested on their arrival in the country.
She said: “We have diaspora sponsors, they are on our watchlist. They are watchlisted, any attempt they make to come into the country, we’ll be notified and they will be picked up and handed to the appropriate authorities.”
The Immigration boss said the agency had in response to the protest, deployed more officers to borders, both land and airports, to ensure effective manning of those entry points.
She said the agency had also stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country.
In his remarks, Director-General, Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Bichi, said the agency has uncovered some sponsors but declined to give further information.
Bichi, represented by the Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunanya, said some accounts had been blocked.
He said some of the persons operating such accounts are staying abroad, adding that they are being monitored.
The D-G said the identity of sponsors of the foreign flags distribution would soon be made public.
Similarly, Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa, disclosed that the constant briefing of the media showed the respect and love the security agencies have for the country and their commitment to their task.
“The only people we are after is the enemy of the state who should be ready to face the law. We will not relent in pursuing those who continue to encourage subversion. We will remain professional and our men on the fields will remain professional as well,’’ he said.
Also speaking at the briefing, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, disclosed that long before the protest, the Nigerian Army had deployed troops due to security challenges across Nigeria, noting that the Army stood assured of protecting Nigeria’s democracy, peace and harmony and will not shift ground on that.
While advising youths in the country to desist from violence as the act was needless, Lagbaja said the Nigerian Army will not watch the country slide into anarchy, adding “We will continue to partner with other security agencies in maintaining peace and stability.’’
In Port Harcourt, protesters blocked a section of the busy East-West Road, NTA Road and other major roads in the state.
Sensing a possible breakdown of law and order, the state Police Command restricted the protest to two venues, including the recreational Isaac Boro Park and the Pleasure Park, both in the centre of the state capital.
Also, protesters who defied the appeal of President Bola Tinubu to end the protest, split themselves into groups, burning more tyres and threatening any vehicle without green leaf on its bonnet to clear and park.
As early as 9 am yesterday, protesters had blocked the Obiri-Ikwerre axis of the East-West Road and the Rumuokoro end, leaving motorists stranded and causing a traffic snarl.
The protesters sang anti-government songs and called on President Tinubu to resign.