Mujahid Asari-Dokubo has warned those behind the planned nationwide protest against hardship to forget about extending it to the Niger Delta.

The former Niger Delta freedom fighter said this on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital at the Niger Delta Sensitisation Conference for Ethnic Nationalities, Youths, and Women’ with the theme ‘Come let us build together. 

Asari-Dokubo said the agenda of those behind the protest is at variance with the problems of the people of the Niger Delta.

He told them to expect resistance, while alleging that they were merely interested in the resources coming from the Niger Delta, describing them as ‘anarchist.

His words: “I and all those who believe in me and those of you who are committed to the interest of the Niger Delta, we are not going to be part of any protest. It is as clear as that.

“If anybody has the right to protest, I also have the right to resist protest. Where your right stops, that is where my right begins.

“I’m anti-protest.  When our brother was here (making a veiled reference to Jonathan) they protested.  Today, another of our brothers is here. They want to protest. That is the truth.

“When you allow yourself to be used, when you always bend your back for people to ride on you, they will continue to ride on you.

“Are our needs included in their 10 points demand? No. So, we are not important to them. But it is our resources that they want to share. I want to say that me, I have the capacity. If you carry your protest near where I am, you will collect (be resisted).

“Those who brought anti-protest and went to Oyigbo (Rivers State), they collected (they got what they deserve). Everybody knows, the government, the security agencies knows it. I gave it to them. 

“Look, don’t be deceived by people’s flowery words and statements. What have they done to impact their society and the environment?

“The lack of hospitals in Buguma, Abonema, and the entire Kalabari land didn’t start today. It has always been like that. And I will not expect my friend to come (referring to President Bola Tinubu) one year later because there has been no hospital in Buguma since the 90s. I should then kick my friend out of power.

MTN Nigeria yesterday confirmed the news making the rounds that it closed its offices nationwide saying it was in order not to expose its workers to more harm than they suffered on Monday.

The telco said it was still taking stock of its losses as a result of damages protesters inflicted on its operations by physically destroying some of its facilities

A reliable source at MTN said: Yes, we had to take the decision of closing offices nationwide to protect our workers. They have suffered untold humiliation already and we did not want more harm to happen to them. However, the decision will not affect any of our services which will be going seamlessly on the background. But, what I don’t know, is when to open offices. It will depend on the nature of the nationwide protest and how long it lasts.

Some people had mischievously instigated that the protest begins at MTN offices and true to type, that can happen, and if it does while our workers are in the office, they may be subjected to more harm

Recall that yesterday the telco announced the closure of its offices and service centres nationwide, asking its customers to use its digital channels for any support they may need.

It used its Customer Care handle on X, to send the notice of closure saying: “Please, be informed that our shops nationwide will be closed today, 30th July. We are available 24/7 to support you via our digital channels.”

The build up to the closure started when scores of angry subscribers besieged MTN offices in many parts of the country vandalizing and pulling down facilities in reaction to massive barring of subscribers’ lines in compliance to the NCC’s directive that any telephone line not properly linked with the National Identity Number be barred on July 30th.

Eye witness account, recounted how angry subscribers pulled out the gates and barricades of MTN service centre in 23 road, Festac Town and damaged valuable property.

Protests in Festac, Oshogbo, others

Also in Oshogbo, Osun State, hundreds of subscribers, same Monday, trooped out to protest the action of telcos in barring their lines, just a few hours to the protest.

The protesters marched to the offices of different telecom operators in the state, particularly Dada estate, Head office of MTN Nigeria in the state.

Many of the protesters claimed to have arrived MTN office since 6.00 am with a view to unblocking their barred SIM cards but could not because the telco shut its doors.

The protesters also blocked the Osogbo-Iwo road leading to Oke-Fia area of the state capital, thereby disrupting traffic and creating gridlock in the area.

The customers consisting of old men, women, pregnant women and others, including civil servants appeared visibly angry over refusal to be attended to by the workers in the office. 

According to a resident of Dada estate, Mr Ismail Ademola who was affected by the blockage, subscribers had lined up since 8am but could not be attended to after several hours.

Another customer, Ifeoluwa Dayo, said, “I left my children at home since 7am in Ikirun, Ifelodun local government area of the state only to get here and be told that I should come back another day in this period of high transportation fare.

Also at its shop in Maitama, Abuja, angry subscribers were reportedly banging and hitting the gate of the facility, and threatening that the planned nationwide protest would start from MTN’s premises.

Security operatives, especially DSS officials were later called in to calm the rising tension.
The situations in Festac and Oshogbo and Abuja were just few out of many in the Telcos’ offices in major cities, including Obalende, Victoria Island, Mushin and Ikeja in Lagos State,; Onitsha in Anambra State, Uyo in Akwa Ibom State and Warri in Delta State.

Viral videos online show protesters venting their frustration and anger over the sudden disconnection. The protests highlight the frustration and disruption caused by the mass disconnection, with many subscribers demanding a resolution to the issue.

NCC’s remedy

Meanwhile, the telecom regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, immediately directed all operators to urgently reactivate all lines that were disconnected since the weekend in view of the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their National Identification Numbers, NINs with their Subscriber Identity Module, SIMs.

The commission apparently did that to avert more damages on the operators but before it did, MTN had suffered substantial losses.

The MTN source told Vanguard that the company was disappointed but not surprised at the way the whole anger over call barring was directed at it, because such is the price a big operator pays, especially when it is dominating market share.

MTN leads the market with active subscriptions of 81.7 million, as of March this year while the closest operator, Airtel, had 63.3 million subscriptions.

Globacom and 9Mobile had 62.1 million and 11.6 million active subscriptions respectively.

Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo has appealed to youths in the country to shun the proposed protest scheduled for August 1st to 10th, 2024.

Ododo made the appeal on Tuesday during an event held in Lokoja to mark the empowerment of 500 women and youths in the poultry value-chain credit support programme.

He argued that President Bola Tinubu’s administration inherited the current economic hardship, adding that protest will bring about destruction of the nations economy.

“As a state, we will continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu laudable initiative in making Nigeria great. To those Nigerians who are bent on violent protests, let reasoning prevail. We are making progress. We are moving forward. Our hopes are back.

“Any violent protest at a time like this will no doubt reverse our gain in the past 13 months. The intent of the promoters of protest in Nigeria are concealed in political desperation.

“I call on all the youth of our dear nation to rise behind Mr. President in his determination to fix the nation back on track. Mr. President is trying. What we are facing today is not caused by him. He inherited this economic crisis and hardship and he is trying to pull us out of it. I urge everyone of us as a state to support Mr. President’s programs and policies so that together we can jointly pull ourselves out of this economic hardship.

“Tell those that are telling you to go on the street to protest to bring their children.You cannot send your children abroad, thinking we are fools. We are not fools. Mr. President is trying. We will continue to support him so that we will be pulled out of this inherited economic crisis,” he stated.

Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has called on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, to retract the deployment of soldiers across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other cities ahead of the planned hunger protest.

Reports from Naija News highlighted the increased presence of security forces, including military personnel, in the FCT and other major cities as a prelude to the nationwide protests scheduled from August 1 to 10.

Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, refuted claims that the deployment was aimed at intimidating protesters.

He clarified, “Troops have always been stationed nationwide for counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. There’s nothing new about this deployment.”

In a letter sent to the Chief of Army Staff on Tuesday, Adeyanju emphasized that managing security during protests is the responsibility of the police.

The letter, titled “Request to Restrict Men of the Nigerian Army to Barracks during the Scheduled 2024 National Protest,” recalls that military intervention during protests in Kenya and the 2020 #EndSARS movement often resulted in escalated violence.

Adeyanju stated, “We write as a pro-human rights law firm to draw your attention to the disturbing deployment of men of the Nigerian Army across the Federal Capital Territory and other cities to suppress the scheduled August 1, 2024, national protest.

“The task of providing internal security, including the protection of protesters during the scheduled protest, lies with the Nigerian Police Force and not the Nigerian Army.

“You may also recall that at all times when the armed forces intervened in any protest, including the recent ongoing Kenya protest, such protests often escalated into full-blown riots leading to loss of lives and property.

“It is on the premise of the foregoing that we urge you to withdraw your men back to the barracks as we do not want a repeat of soldiers killing protesters as was witnessed during EndSARS.”

The International Police Organisation (INTERPOL), on Monday, revealed that “hundreds of thousands of dollars” are being laundered out of Nigeria to other African countries and across the world every hour.

The organisation also said money laundering across Africa and the entire world has assumed a monstrous dimension, adding that it would require a concerted efforts of every security agency in Nigeria and other countries to address.

Garba Baba Umar, the INTERPOL Vice President for Africa, revealed this at EFCC Academy, Abuja when he declared a four-day workshop for Nigerian law enforcement agencies open.

The INTERPOL official, however, said the organisation has launched what he described as “Silver Notices Against Money Laundering”, saying it is in a bid to frontally tackle the scourge of money laundering and illicit financial flows across the world, especially Africa.

“Evidence has shown that every hour, hundreds of thousands of dollars are flowing out of Nigeria to the region and across the world, laundered before it reaches the pockets of criminals to enjoy the profits of their crimes, while the hardworking and honest Nigerians pay the price of crime.

“With every successful laundering of criminal money, our country becomes more prone to crime. More drugs, more fraud, more corruption and more violence. Every time criminal money is successfully laundered, our financial institutions take an additional blow…” Umar said.

He stressed that hard times await money launderers as the Initiative “Silver Notices” would make illicit funds more difficult to launder in any part of the world.

Speaking on the theme of the workshop: “Strengthening Capacity and Coordination against Financial Crimes” Umar noted that financial crimes had become transnational and law enforcement agencies needed regular training for their workforce to be ahead of fraudsters.

He said, “In essence, this Workshop will give us the opportunity to re-examine the challenges of fighting transnational crimes in the country, reassess our strategies, and reaffirm our determination and unity as a country to provide security to our citizens and by extension the global community.”

On his part, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, harped on the need for enhanced collaboration in tackling financial crimes.

Olukoyede, who spoke through the Director, Fraud Risk Assessment and Control of the EFCC, Francis Usani, said the complex nature of corruption across the world could only be broken by the might of collaborative actions by every stakeholder.

“The daunting nature of the fight against corruption in Nigeria and the world at large deserve serious collaboration among organizations saddled with the responsibility of fighting corruption”, he said.

In his remark, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Nigeria, Mr Kazuyoshi Matsunaga, described the workshop as an important joint initiative between Japan and Nigeria to combat financial crimes.

He explained that in the contemporary globalized world, financial crimes transcended borders and required international cooperation among law enforcement agencies to combat them.

Similarly, the Director-General of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Hafsat Bakare, spoke about the imperative of strengthening capacity and coordination against financial crimes, pointing out that “financial intelligence and financial analysis techniques are key to tackling economic crimes.”

The NFIU, she said, was sensitive to the interconnected nature of the criminal justice system, the threat of organized crime and cybercrimes being fought by law enforcement agencies.

Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, has voiced his opposition to the planned nationwide protests set for August 1, aimed at addressing the economic hardships in Nigeria.

In a statement issued late Monday, Igboho emphasized that President Bola Tinubu has been implementing transformative policies since taking office.

He warned that the call for protests could lead to the disintegration of the country and create discord between the government and the populace.

The protests, tagged #EndBadGovernance, are organized to address the rising cost of living and perceived government inefficiencies.

The demonstrations are scheduled to take place from August 1 to 10 across various states, with participants demanding a reversal of some government policies that they believe have led to economic difficulties.

The Federal Government has been making efforts to address the protesters’ grievances. Information Minister Mohammed Idris highlighted that measures such as food distribution, student loans, and subsidized food sales are being implemented to mitigate the impact of government policies on Nigerians.

Igboho, in a statement, said, “I, Chief Sunday Igboho, am issuing this press release in response to the planned protests by some unknown and faceless individuals, who are working to disintegrate the country.

“Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, he has implemented revolutionary policies, which his predecessors lacked the political will to pursue.

“These bold steps have, unsurprisingly, unsettled those who believe it is their birthright to rule Nigeria. In response, there have been attempts to undermine his administration, particularly on social media, with the aim of creating discord between the government and the people.

“Recently, we have become aware of notices from unknown individuals threatening ’10 days of rage’, beginning August 1, 2024, under the slogan ‘Tinubu Must Go!’

“While the right to peaceful protest is enshrined in our constitution, it does not extend to calls for an unconstitutional regime change. It is worth noting that during President Buhari’s eight-year tenure, there were no such protests for regime change from the Southwest, even when our people faced oppression and atrocities by Fulani terrorists.

“Our protests were focused on protecting our communities, not on destabilizing the country. The Yoruba Nation Movement and I firmly declare that we will not participate in any protest aimed at using the Southwest as a battleground for political upheaval.

“We stand resolute in our belief that the Yoruba nation will not be a launchpad for disintegrating Nigeria. We recognize that economic hardship is a global phenomenon, not unique to Nigeria.

“Since my release from the unjust detention orchestrated by former President Buhari and his then attorney general of the federation, Abubakar Malami, I have travelled extensively across Europe, the Middle East, West Africa, and North America.

“Everywhere, people are facing challenges, and governments are implementing palliatives to alleviate these hardships. In Nigeria, PBAT’s government has introduced measures to reduce food prices and increased the minimum wage from ¦ 30,000 to ¦ 70,000, demonstrating a commitment to improving the lives of the working populace.

“Let us be clear: the protest is politically motivated. We call on all Yoruba people and well-meaning Nigerians to reject this movement. The Yoruba Nation unequivocally opposes any such protests.

“Like President Buhari, President Tinubu must be allowed to complete his term in office. The path to change lies in democratic processes—through the ballot box or a referendum. Those who seek change must wait until the next elections in 2027.

“We urge our members and the broader community to resist any temptation to participate in these protests, as they do not serve the interests of the Yoruba people or the nation as a whole.

“We also issue a strong and unequivocal warning that we will firmly resist any individuals or groups attempting to instigate violence under the guise of these protests. They are strictly warned to stay off the streets across Yorubaland on the designated protest days and in the future. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

The Federal Government of Nigeria has requested a $500 million loan from the World Bank to enhance dam safety and improve water resource management across the country.

The proposed loan aims to tackle Nigeria’s water security challenges and boost agricultural productivity through the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) Project.

According to the World Bank’s Project Information Document for the SPIN project, posted on its website on Monday, the initiative will focus on four critical areas: institutional strengthening and capacity building, irrigation modernization, improvements in dam operations and safety, and project management.

Nigeria faces significant water security challenges, which impact various sectors, including agriculture, energy, and domestic water supply.

The SPIN project is expected to provide a sustainable solution to these challenges by improving the management of water resources and ensuring the safety of dams across the country.

The initiative is also anticipated to boost agricultural productivity by modernizing irrigation systems, which will enable farmers to have better control over water usage and increase crop yields.

The document read, “Nigeria faces water security challenges, which impact water availability for drinking water, energy and food production, and are increasingly exacerbated by climate change, putting livelihoods and economic development at risk. Harnessing water storage and dam safety is central to climate change adaptation and mitigation in Nigeria. It is a prerequisite to improving water management for water supply, irrigation, and hydropower generation and offers protection from floods and droughts.

“Nigeria has over 400 dams and an estimated total combined storage of 59 billion cubic meters. 46 per cent of dams are federally owned and are managed by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, through River Basin Development Authorities. 48 per cent of dams are state-owned and are managed by a state ministry. Many dams are incomplete and more than 50 per cent of the large dams built in the 1970s and 80s require rehabilitation.

“This situation is due in part to institutions responsible for dam management, whether at the federal or state level, having inadequate budget, human resources and capacity to ensure dam management, operation and maintenance and non-adherence to operational manuals, where they exist.”

The document noted that the country has over 400 dams, many of which are in dire need of rehabilitation.

It was also stated that the devastating 2022 floods, which caused an estimated $6.7bn in economic damage, underscored the urgent need for improved dam safety and water management.

For the second area of the project, the Federal Government plans to rehabilitate and modernise 40,000 hectares of irrigated land. It will also establish and empower Water User Associations to manage irrigation schemes efficiently.

The third area will focus on rehabilitating and enhancing the safety of priority dams, including conducting risk assessments, preparing emergency action plans, and implementing structural safety improvements.