DHQ warns against violent protests nationwide

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said on Thursday that it has uncovered plots by certain individuals with malicious intentions to take advantage of the protest scheduled for August 1 to cause mayhem across the country.

It said: “Unscrupulous elements have targeted to attack persons with things as basic as a smartphone, car, house, shop, or even use air conditioners in their houses.”

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, gave the warning at a news briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

The DHQ identified potential targets of violence, including religious institutions, commercial establishments, markets, individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and supporters of rival political parties.

It said: “Pertaining to the planned nationwide protest, there are essentially several factors to be thoroughly examined.

“Some of which are whether or not the planned protests are motivated by opposition politics, independent parties, sovereign interference, terrorist groups, or any number of organizations that have fed on the frustrations of Nigerians to create the situation.

“However, for us in the military, the constitution is clear as to how and when the military gets involved.

“The constitution also clearly defines the roles and functions of the armed forces. On the other hand, while citizens have a constitutional right to peaceful protest, they do not have a right to mobilize for anarchy in order to unleash terror.

“The contemporary context of the planned protest is to shadow happenings in Kenya, which has so far been violent and unresolved to date.

“Given the situation, there are already indicators that unscrupulous elements are bent on hijacking the planned protest for violent purposes.

“For instance, there are signs of status-related violence such that persons with things as basic as a smartphone and car are targets.

“This does not leave out those that own a house, shop, or even use air conditioners in their houses.

“Other targets include places of worship, businesses, markets, persons of other ethnic groups, and members of opposing political parties, among others.

“Based on the foregoing, the level of violence envisaged is best described as a state of anarchy. It is for this reason that the armed forces will not watch and allow the nation spiral out of control to such low levels.

“Basically, the military has been exposed to wars and has witnessed situations of anarchy in countries ravaged by war, particularly during ECOMOG or during peacekeeping operations.

“It is for this reason that troops will act dutifully to forestall such ugly occurrences from happening in our nation.”

It said the military high command has placed troops on high alert, pledging to thwart any attempts by groups seeking to plunge the country into chaos and anarchy.

It said the timing and the country’s atmosphere of hardship make the planned protest different from others in the past.

The DHQ said: “It is therefore incumbent upon us all to quench the fires of violence rather than ignite them.

“It is time to let cool heads prevail in order for the government to further remedy the situation and make our nation flourish again.”