Foreign Forces Behind Proposed Nationwide Protest – IGP Egbetokun

By Ayodele Oni

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has given an update on the proposed nationwide protest during which he directed organisers of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest to submit their Organisation’s names and other details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective States.

IGP Egbetokun who gave the directive while addressing Journalists on Friday, in Abuja, noted that the directive was to guarantee a peaceful protest.

The IGP also mandated all protesters and individuals to submit their names and location for protest for proper protection on protest day.

“To facilitate a successful and incident-free protest, they should please provide the following information: state the proposed protest routes and assembly points; expected duration of the protest; and names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers.”

According to the IGP, to maintain public safety, the police would be able to deploy enough manpower and resources from the information provided.

He added that to prevent clashes with other events or activities, the Police needed to be aware of the precise routes and locations for the demonstrations.

Additional directives from Egbetokun include creating open lines of communication with protest organisers to resolve any issues or concerns that may come up and reduce the likelihood of violence, property destruction, or other criminal conduct.

He urged all demonstrators to collaborate with law enforcement agencies, follow international best practices for peaceful assembly, and obey the law.

Egbetokun told journalists that intelligence at the disposal of the Force revealed that foreign mercenaries were involved in the proposed nationwide hunger protest.

He urged every Nigerian to proceed with caution and reconsider  decision to join the protest, the IGP said the Force had been monitoring development surrounding the protest threats.

“While some groups call for violent protests, emulating Kenya’s recent events, others advocate for peaceful demonstrations.

“However, some individuals promote peaceful protests with violent undertones, raising concerns about their sincerity.

“We have our history of violent protests in Nigeria, and I don’t believe we have to look to other countries to note the dangers of unchecked demonstrations.”