By Our Reporter
The Nigeria Police have confirmed the arrest of some of the 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 Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, revealed this, Tuesday, in Abuja at a press briefing.
“We’ve arrested real sponsors of rioters carrying foreign flags, calling for change of govt”, the IGP said, adding that the culprits have been identified and their funders accounts blocked.
This disclosure came just as the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, said that sponsors of foreign flags by the rioters had been identified to live abroad, stressing that Diaspora sponsors of protesters have been placed on the agency’s watchlist.
“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”, she said.
Nandap further revealed that the agency had deployed more officers to borders, both land and airports, to ensure effective manning of those entry points, and had stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country.
Also addressing the press at the Defense Headquarter in Abuja, Tuesday, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, noted that the Police had been careful in managing the crisis without deploying water cannons, live and/or rubber bullets but only teargas.
He debunked the news making the rounds over the killing of an innocent protester in Kubwa, Abuja, saying it 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.
Meanwhile the nationwide protest which began on Thursday August 1, 2024, tagged “EndBadGovernance”, softened after two days of active protest, especially in the southwest of the country.
Protests in the northern part continued in earnest despite president Tinubu’s plea in his state of the nation speech on Sunday, three days after the protest, urging the protesters to stop the agitation while promising to look into their demands. Many, however, described president Tinubu’s Sunday’s speech as lacking content and failing to address at least some specific demands of Nigerians, most of whom are complaining about the very harsh economic policies of the government which have left them and their children hungry and destitute.
In Port Harcourt, Tuesday, protesters were seen marching to the private residence of Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike. And in Katsina, home of the immediate past president, Mohammadu Buhari, protesters reportedly tore down the All Progressive Congress, APC, headquarters in Daura, Tuesday.
All these are happening as the service chiefs, including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christoper Musa, and Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Taoreed Lagbaja, came out, Tuesday, strongly warning against the country sliding into anarchy, stressing that the military would not tolerate it.
However, the curfew in some parts of the north following the riot that ensued during the protest appear to have calmed down tension. For instance places like Kano and Kaduna, where the state government placed a dusk to dawn curfew between the hours of 6 am to 6 pm modified its dusk-to-dawn curfew between 6 am and 6 pm, has helped in dousing pressure in these states.
In the meantime, tensions seem to have died down in most parts of the country, following improved surveillance by the government agencies.