Nigeria’s security agencies are investigating at least four politicians from the country’s northern part over the use of Russian flags by #EndBadGovernance protesters.

Multiple sources told The PUNCH that the political bigwigs, who hail from Katsina, Kaduna and Kano states, were principal actors who instigated the use of Russian flags among demonstrators in the north to fan the embers for an unconstitutional regime change.

“You see, four principal actors have been identified in this issue. They are top politicians from Katsina, Kano and Kaduna and the security agencies are closing in on them,” said one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

“They played prominent roles in the election of last year (2023),” the source added.

Another source, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, told one of our correspondents, “There is evidence of external influence mainly involving the politicians who are conniving with a West African and European country to cause mayhem and promote the use of the flags we are seeing. They want to do here what they did in some other countries.”

The nationwide protests against hardship and hunger took a dangerous dimension on Monday, with protesters in some Northern states waving the Russian flag as they chanted “Tinubu must go.”

Protesters in Kaduna were seen waving the Russian flag and chanting in Hausa, “Tinubu ze soka’ kaa’sa,” which translates to, “Tinubu must step down.”

They also hailed military personnel, who patrolled the metropolis, chanting, “Tinubu yaa’so’ka, mu’na so soja”, meaning, “Tinubu step down, we want soldiers.”

Russia, an Eastern power currently mired in a cold war with the West, has been blamed for several unconstitutional changes of government in West African countries such as Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, and among others.

The Nigerian military on Monday said persons flying the Russian flag were committing treason and will, therefore, be “prosecuted”. It also said it is investigating those who are instigating the move and will “take serious action” against them.

“That is totally unacceptable…that is a treasonable offence, and it will be viewed and treated as such,” said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, after a meeting of the National Security Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Monday.

The Department of State Services stated on X.com that it had arrested some tailors sewing Russian flags in Kano State and that some of their sponsors had also been nabbed.

However, protesters with the flag reduced drastically on Tuesday after state security personnel clamped down on them in several states, arresting them and their perceived foreign sponsors.

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Salman Garba, disclosed that some foreigners suspected of being behind the protesters were arrested.

Garba, who stated this after a security meeting with Governor Abba Yusuf on Tuesday, vowed that the police and other security agencies would clamp down on anyone who violated the security regulations of the state.

The Kano police boss also announced further relaxation of the curfew from 6am to 6pm.

The same day, the Gombe State Police Command paraded 10 suspects for waving the Russian flag during the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest.

Briefing journalists at the Criminal Investigation Department of the command, Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Usman, said the outright display of another country’s flag was disrespectful to the nation.

The command’s Public Relations Officer ASP Buhari Abdullahi, who represented Usman, said the protesters were arrested in the violent protest utterly showed disrespect to the country.

“We have seen the unsettling displays of foreign flags by some protesters. This act not only disrespects our national symbols but also commits treasonable felony and related offences. Hence, 10 suspects were arrested flying Russian flags,” Abdullahi stated while parading the suspects.

“The command’s primary goal remains to restore peace and order and protect lives and property. We are committed to a measured response, ensuring that the rights of peaceful protesters are respected while addressing those who engage in violence or unlawful activities.”

He added, “The looting of both public and private property during these protests is a grave concern, for instance, the Gombe State Revenue Recovery Tribunal, Bima Lodge, Gombe State Bureau of Public Service Reform, NITEL Company and Blue -J motors among others. Such action not only undermine the rule of law but also disrupts communities and harm businesses.

“However, the command is coordinating with local communities and other agencies to address these illegal activities and hold those responsible accountable. Therefore, 92 suspects were arrested with some of the vandalised and stolen property and they are still under investigation.”

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu held closed-door talks with intelligence chiefs at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

Although the outcome of the meeting is not known, it may not be unconnected with the ongoing nationwide protests.

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Director-General, DSS, Yusuf Bichi; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Abubakar Ahmed and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanual attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the DSS said it had identified some masterminds of the prevalent Russian flags during the protests.

DSS boss Bichi, represented by Service spokesman Peter Afunanya, stated this at a joint media briefing on Tuesday in Abuja with heads of security agencies and Service Chiefs.

However, he argued that revealing the identities of those behind the act could jeopardise investigations.

“It’s not just that children are throwing flags or flying flags. If there is more to that, there are some aspects of our operation that we may not sit before the camera and begin to reel out, either because of their sensitivity, either because we are not supposed to say them now, or because there are ongoing investigations. And we may not say things that jeopardise those investigations,” Bichi said.

The DSS chief added that some sponsors funded the protests through monies raised outside the conventional banking system.

“People are using things other than the currency that you know, channels of transaction to do bitcoins, to do virtual currency, to do all manner of things to raise financing.

“We are attacking all of that. The NIFIU is doing so much. Our directorate for the process of recovery management is doing so much.”

On its part, the Nigeria Immigration Service said it had placed sponsors of #EndBadGovernance protests residing outside the country on its watch list.

Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mrs Kemi Nandap, who disclosed this, added that the persons on the list would be handed over to the appropriate agencies whenever they arrived in Nigeria.

She said, “Some of these sponsors, some of these people who are actually in the diaspora, we have a number of them who are actually instigating this mayhem that we’re seeing right now. What we have done is we have added them to our watch list.

“We have them on our radars, and we’re making sure that any attempt they make to come into the country we will notify the necessary authorities. And we’re working closely, of course, with the NIA and the DSS and the NSA so that all those we have in the diaspora that are actually trying to subvert the authority of this nation are on our radars.”

Nandap added that the Service had stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said the Police had equally uncovered some sponsors of the protests living in the diaspora.

The police chief said, “Although we are aware that some of the sponsors of this protest have a clear motive to subvert the government of the day, we are not going to allow that. We will defend our democracy.

“Then, the question is how we are countering funding of the protest. We are doing a lot that I won’t be able to immediately expose to you how we are countering funding.

“We have blocked some accounts and are still monitoring them. Some are outside the country, and we will still get them.”

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, said the security operatives were after those he identified as “enemies of the country.”

 “It’s our duty to protect Nigerians. The only people we’re after are those who don’t know us well, the enemies of the state. And anyone who makes himself an enemy of the state will then be ready to face the law.

“We’re going to remain focused and committed, we’re going to respect human rights, the rights of everyone who is lawfully performing his duty.

“But we will not relent in pursuing those that have continued to encourage unconstitutional takeover of government. We will remain very professional,” Musa said.

He added that troops deployed across the country had been directed to respect human rights while going about their duties.

“We have told our men outside in the field that they must respect the rights of everyone.

“We encourage the youth to dialogue to understand that destruction and mob action do nobody any good.

“We know there are challenges in the country and these challenges are not only here,” said Musa.

Suspects on trial

Egbetokun said the Police had commenced trials for suspects arrested during the nationwide protest.

The Police had on Monday said over 800 suspects, who committed various offences during the protest, had been arrested.

In Kano, suspects were being tried at the police headquarters because of their large numbers.

He said, “I want to tell you that the trial of the suspects arrested during protests has begun. If you go to police headquarters in Kano now, you will find out that arrested persons are already being tried. So, we are not keeping them indefinitely.”

Egbetokun explained that the police, military and other agencies involved in the protest did not use excessive force on protesters.

“The Police and the military and indeed other security agencies involved in the management of this protest have not deployed excessive use of force; instead, what we had were attacks on security agents during the protest. From our record, there were no shooting incidents by the Police,” the IGP added.

“The Police or military didn’t use any live ammunition in the management of these protests. Instead, we had cases where our officers were injured in critical conditions, as we speak. I will dismiss that (use of excessive force) as fake news and very wrong allegations. We didn’t use excessive force at all.

“We didn’t even deploy the whole of our strength in this protest even when it turned violent. We have water cannons we did not deploy, we have rubber bullets, we didn’t use. All that we have used is teargas and nothing more.”

The Police chief also argued that the protests did not overstretch his men who, he said, successfully nabbed several other criminals.

Egbetokun said, “We were not overstretched; we had standby units that we didn’t deploy in managing this protest. Even while the protests were going on, a number of them were arrested.

“Hoodlums who committed armed robbery were arrested. The only thing we didn’t have was kidnapping. But any other offence that was committed we paid due attention to those criminal activities.”

On his part, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja said the Army’s major operational commitment was to deploy resources to quell the protests that had morphed into riots, while the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, stated that the Navy was working with other security agencies to ensure safety and security in the maritime domain.

Groups condemn protesters

Meanwhile, organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protests have dissociated themselves from protesters waving the Russian flag and demanding the removal of President Tinubu, saying it was unrelated to their struggle.

Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday, said although the group neither endorsed nor condemned the protesters’ action, it remained focused on its already outlined demands, adding that threats by security agencies against the protesters were “baseless and misdirected.”

“Our demands are clearly outlined in our charters of demands, and they remain unwavering. The waving of Russian flags is a non sequitur, unrelated to our struggle for justice and accountability. While we neither endorse nor condemn this act, we must emphasise that it’s not a criminal offence under our laws.

“Threats from security agencies to punish flag bearers and arrest tailors who make them are baseless and misdirected. Our focus remains on achieving meaningful change, not on manufactured distractions,” he said.

Similarly, Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, and the pan-Niger Delta Forum have condemned the use of the Russian flag by protesters in the northern part of the country.

Organising Secretary of Afenifere, Chief Kole Omololu, called on President Tinubu to punish those behind the act.

He said, “On the waving of the Russian flag by northern protesters, who are also demanding that President Tinubu should step down, this is a grievous and abominable action by fellow Nigerians and the government should not take it lightly with the perpetrators because the implication is that there have been several coups in the West African sub-region and the coup plotters have been more or less bragging that Russia is their godfather. That is the reason some unpatriotic elements in the north have the audacity to fly the Russian flag. It is calling for a coup and this is treason and should not be handled lightly.

“It is because they have never been part of the democratic struggle in this country. The democracy we are enjoying today, we know how we fought for it. Then, a lot of our leaders were killed. Some were imprisoned unjustly, while the life of our current President was thrown into asylum. If you remember, nine years ago, this country was brought down to its kneel.  We are still battling with that till today.”

The Afenifere chieftain urged the President to use “every force available” to track those involved in the act.

“The security agencies should fish out all those holding meetings in Kaduna, those negotiating with terrorists and pretending to be good citizens of the country. The action is condemnable in every ramification. President Bola Tinubu is trying to put together, the country that has been brought down on its kneel.  But enemies are fighting back. That should not be allowed; the President should come out with every force available. He is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of Nigeria. This is not time to play politics, it is time to play leadership and assertive.”

On their part, PANDEF described the protesters as ignorant.

“The truth is that from the images we see, they (flag holders) are minors, adolescents, maybe 13 or 14, misguided youths. It’s a dangerous trend and I’m sure they are not even aware of the implications. They are misguided and misinformed, it boils down to issues of out-of-school children who, perhaps, are not even well parented or there are no parents,” National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Dr Ken Robinson, said this during a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Tuesday.

Also, the National Vice-President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, said the South-East was not part of the call for President Bola Tinubu to resign, saying that the region was more concerned about the plight of Ndigbo in the entity called Nigeria.

He said, “Before the Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, died, he made a promise that the Ndigbo would not join the protest and when he died, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo re-echoed it. We are concerned more that some people in some sections of the country are asking Igbo to leave.

“So, we are not bothered by the issue of waving of Russian flag by protesters in the North because we are not part of the protest. Since we are not part of it, we don’t know if they are waving Russian flag or flying helicopter anywhere.

“As far as the protest is concerned, we are sleeping; we are not part of it. We are worried that a tribe in Nigeria is asking another tribe to leave. That is more serious than every other thing.

“Whatever you call it whether Russian flag or wrapper, did you see any of them in the South-East? So, we cannot define what the Russian flag looks like and it is not the concern of the Ndigbo because we are not part of it.”

In the same vein, some groups from the northern states dissociated themselves from calls for military takeover.

The Chairman of National Unity Forum for Peace, Alhaji Abbas Dattijo, told The PUNCH that those calling for a change of a democratically elected government were not speaking for the region.

“People of the region are not in any way in support of regime change of constitutionally installed government and can never support calls for Russia government to intervene in the situation in the country”

The Chairman of Grand Alliance of Coalition of Northern Youths Movement, Alhaji Abubakar Yusuf, disagreed with those calling for a change of government.

He condemned those calling for a regime change, saying they were working for a different purpose, which he said should be investigated by the authorities concerned.

Down south, protesters laid siege to a mansion located in Ada George in Ohio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State belonging to the immediate past Rivers State Governor and current Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Following the multiple protests which rocked the metropolis and its outskirts, one of the groups, a crowd of over 50 who marched from the Agip Junction axis in Port Harcourt, stopped in front of Wike’s house, singing and pointing to the posh building, saying “this is Wike’s house.”

The protesters, who carried leaves, sang the old national anthem and rained curses on the FCT minister as a retinue of armed policemen watched closely.

The policemen immediately formed a wall to prevent the protesters from coming close to the residence and asked the youths to remain on the other side of the road

The presence of the operatives prevented the protesters, who left after about 50 minutes, from going closer.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said, “It is not true that Wike’s house was attacked because I have spoken to the DPO twice on this and our men are there.

“The protesters only marched past the building and the policemen ensured that they were on the other side of the road. They (operatives) did not confront them.”

[Punch]

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said yesterday the Police have arrested some of the real sponsors of rioters who hoisted foreign flags and called for a change of government in the country in states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, among others.

The IGP spoke as the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, disclosed that sponsors of foreign flags by the rioters had been identified to live abroad.

This is even as service chiefs, including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christoper Musa, and Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Taoreed Lagbaja, warned that the military will not stand idly by and watch the country slide into anarchy.

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.

Abuja and Lagos were also calm yesterday.

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.

Police arrest 6 Spaniards, 76 others in Kano, trail sponsors

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.

Immigration places sponsors of protest on the watchlist

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.’’

Protesters in Rivers block East-West road, others, march to Wike’s private residence

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.

One of the protesters simply identified as Igbaki, vowed: “We will not get tired of this protest till day ten. We are tired and hungry and we say no to bad governance in Nigeria.

“The President’s broadcast is nothing to write home about because he didn’t address any of the issues we raised for embarking on this protest. Tinubu must go, he has failed Nigerians and the entire world.”

Some of the protesters made quick business, selling leaves to owners of vehicles trapped in the gridlock for between N100 and N200, while others attempted to force the drivers to join the procession.

The other group of protesters converged on the federal secretariat and moved to the Ikwerre Road axis of Diobu in Port Harcourt as traffic built up in the area, while many vehicles made u-turns to avoid harassment.

Some of the protesting groups had youths between the ages of 10 and 13 years brandishing green leaves, planks and other dangerous weapons, threatening innocent people on the road and looting items, particularly edible goods displayed on the roadside for sale.

Despite their ages, they were also singing the “Tinubu Must Go” songs and looking very frightful. It was learnt that some of the protesters marched to the private residence of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to register their presence.

Reacting to the development, the spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the restriction of the protesting venue was informed by the fact that the youths were infringing on the rights of others.

“We have restricted the protest to the Isaac Boro Park and the Pleasure Park to prevent a breakdown of law and order. As we speak, they have started infringing on the rights of others and we (Police) will not allow that. We are calling on them to stay in these two venues or else anyone that flouts this order will be arrested and prosecuted,’’ she warned.

She also dismissed reports that the FCT minister’s residence at Ada-George in Port Harcourt was attacked, saying nothing of such happened.

Also dismissing the rumour, the national coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, CBRPAC, Prince Wiro, said there is no iota of truth in the story, adding that bloggers and social media platform owners should be careful with the kind of information they push out for public consumption, especially during sensitive times as the one the country is at the moment.

“That information is not correct. The protesters were coming from the Choba axis of the Ada-George Road. When they got to Minister Wike’s house, they stopped at the right lane of the road. The minister’s house is on the left lane. There was also a very heavy police presence there.
“What they did was that for the 15 minutes or so that they spent on that lane, they were reciting the former national anthem ‘Arise O’ Compatriots, Nigeria’s Call Obey” and raising green leaves to the sky with unusual excitement.

“They did not spend more than fifteen minutes because there is no way they could have gained access to the premises with such heavy presence of armed policemen.”

Sources alleged that some of the business interests belonging to the minister had the presence of heavily armed security personnel on guard with Armored Personnel Carriers, APC, on display apparently to ward off any eventuality or infiltration by hoodlums.

Calm returns to Kaduna as soldiers, and security operatives enforce a 24-hour curfew

Kaduna was calm yesterday, following the 24-hour curfew imposed by the state government to douse the protest that turned riotous on Monday.

There was a scarcity of bread, rice and other essentials in Hayin Banki and other neighbouring communities, as the popular Kawo weekly Talata (Tuesday ) market could not hold due to the curfew.
Women were seen going around the community in search of bread and rice, which were scarce as retail shops were either shut or could not get enough supply of bread from the bakery.

The Police in Kaduna, whose operatives were spotted enforcing the curfew, except for those on essential duties, such as medical personnel and journalists, said they arrested 39 suspects, including a tailor who was sewing Russian flags for the protesters.

“These individuals, seen displaying Russian and Chinese flags, mobilized and engaged in the vandalism of private and public properties. Among the damaged properties were a Hilux vehicle belonging to KADVS, a Toyota Yaris owned by a journalist, and the KASTLEA office in Zone 6, Zaria, which was set on fire,” spokesman of the Kaduna State police command, ASP Mansir Hassan, said.

ASP Hassan, who debunked the story that hoodlums seized an Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, belonging to the police, explained further that the Police, in collaboration with other security agencies, had intervened to restore order in the state.

He added: “During the confrontation, the suspects became hostile and resorted to using stones, catapults, and other weapons. The police managed to calm the situation with minimal use of tear gas.

“In total, 39 suspects were arrested at the scene, including a tailor who was sewing the foreign flags for the group. The police recovered 38 Russian flags, one Chinese flag, two catapults with a bag of stones, and various vandalized items.”

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Ali Dabigi, while commending his officers, issued a stern warning to all residents to adhere to the imposed curfew. He assured that violators will face arrest and prosecution by the law.

“The CP also appealed to all citizens to cooperate with the Police and other security agencies during this critical period. The curfew is in place to protect lives and property, and ensure the swift restoration of peace in Kaduna State.’’

Gov Yusuf relaxes curfew for 12 hours daily in Kano

In Kano, Governor Abba Yusuf yesterday relaxed the 24-hour curfew in the state for 12 hours daily.
The governor announced this after a security council meeting with security heads in the state to review the security situation.

The governor said the curfew was relaxed from 6 am to 6 pm, adding that this was to allow residents to go about their day-to-day activities and legitimate businesses.

He said the curfew will resume fully after 6 pm to 6 am.

He said, “We reviewed the security situation at the security council meeting and decided that the curfew be relaxed from 6 am to 6 pm to allow people to go about their day-to-day activities. The curfew will take effect from 6 pm to 6 am.’’

He commended the security agencies for their role in ensuring the safety of lives and properties as well as the recovery of looted properties, saying that about 60 percent of the looted properties had been recovered.

Recall that Governor Yusuf had declared the curfew last Thursday evening after the protest was hijacked by hoodlums who turned violent, maiming residents and looting properties.

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.

This marks a significant decrease in participation, as protesters face challenges accessing the central business district due to government restrictions.

The government-approved MKO Abiola National Stadium has failed to attract protesters, who believe it limits their visibility and impact.

Instead, security personnel dispersed demonstrators from various locations, enforcing a court order to confin the protest inside the stadium.

Ene Obi, one of the organizers, vowed to continue the sit-out, criticizing the government’s response to their demands.

“Look at the president speaking to Nigeria. It was an empty speech. What are you telling us? Not even one of the demands has been met. Bring down the prices of petroleum products. This is the same government that fought against the removal of fuel subsidies. And the same president has used it to punish Nigerians.

“We are mothers. What they are doing is setting our children against us. Even the police and security agencies – which of them is going to a different market? Their money is useless. They are turning our children against us. The mothers in the land are wounded, with no employment.
‘’Many of our children have gone to school but have no employment. They said you need to appoint one minister from every state. We don’t have a minister of state in the constitution. And they are even creating more seats for more ministers to come in.

‘’There are no signs from the government to show us that they can bring down the cost of governance,” she said. The protest, now in its sixth day, has been marked by violent clashes with police, who have fired tear gas at demonstrators.

Vanguard News Nigeria

The presidency has faulted former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s warning to the service chiefs and the military over their engagement of the #EndBadGovernance protesters.

On Tuesday, Abubakar wrote on his X page that whoever “authorised the use of lethal force against peaceful civilian protesters would be held responsible for committing crimes against humanity”.

“I wish to convey a stern caution to the distinguished service chiefs and military commanders of Nigeria’s armed forces that those who authorise the use of lethal force against peaceful civilian protesters will be held responsible for committing crimes against humanity, even in the years following their retirement from service,” he wrote.

“The constitutional right to engage in protest is firmly established within our supreme law and reinforced by the judiciary. It is the solemn duty of the government and security agencies to ensure a safe and protected environment for individuals exercising their right to peaceful protest.”

Abubakar’s warning came on the heels of the allegation that security forces used live bullets against protesters who have been demonstrating against the rising cost of living in the country since August 1.

However, in a statement, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said the former vice-president’s warning ought to be to those looting during the protest in Kaduna, Kano, Plateau, and Jigawa states.

Onanuga said the security forces have “remained professional, even-handed, and observed every restraint in the face of extreme provocation by the protesters”.

“We are surprised that Alhaji Atiku is still relying on Section 40 of our constitution (as amended) to justify a protest that is now clearly a riot, a rampage in some parts of the country,” the statement reads.

“Section 45 of the constitution says the right of assembly and the right of freedom of expression are not absolute. They can be abridged and fettered in the interest of public peace, public safety, law, and order. The Service Chiefs reiterated the rights of Nigerians to protest and gather freely.

“They, however, reinforced their constitutional duty today when they said they cannot sit by idly and watch hoodlums destroy the country and its democracy.

“The service chiefs and the officers and men of our security outfits should be commended for their patriotic duty to our country.

“As a supporter and enabler of the destructive ‘protests’, Alhaji Atiku certainly wants the sinister protest to continue despite the red signals from the streets.

“A tweet that condones the destruction of private and public property and investments of citizens is unbecoming of a former vice president of Nigeria.

“Alhaji Atiku ought to have risen above the sentiment he expressed and put the interest of our country’s stability ahead of whatever advantages he hoped to reap from the insurrection on our streets.

“We encourage Alhaji Atiku to borrow a leaf from opposition figures in the United Kingdom who have rallied behind the government to condemn the ongoing riots in the UK, calling for the arrest and prosecution of those behind the wanton destruction of public and private assets.

“Such nationalistic temperament as displayed by opposition figures like Rishi Sunak, the immediate-past Prime Minister of the UK, is expected of Alhaji Atiku.”

[TheCable]

US Vice-President Kamala Harris has picked Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, as her running mate in the forthcoming presidential election.

Harris announced her choice of Walz on Tuesday.

Waltz caught the attention of Democrats after he called Donald Trump and JD Vance “weird”.

“He’s just a strange, weird dude,” Walz said of Trump during a fundraising event.

The 60-year-old politician led Minnesota through the 2020 protests over George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.

Walz also deployed the national guard to help quell riots that broke out during the demonstrations.

“As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he’s delivered for working families like his,” Harris said.

“It’s great to have him on the team.”

Harris became the official Democratic presidential nominee on Monday after securing the support of 2,350 delegates, the threshold required to earn the nomination.

President Joe Biden said one of his best decisions was picking Harris as his vice president.

The 59-year-old is the first Black woman and first Asian American to lead a major-party ticket.

Harris and Walz will now face Trump and Vance in the November polls.

[TheCable]