We’ll resist violent protest, says Nigerian military

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said intelligence has revealed that some “unscrupulous elements are bent on hijacking the planned protest for violent purposes.”

It said “Unscrupulous element 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 Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen Edward Buba, stated this at a briefing on Thursday.

The DHQ said other places targeted are places of worship, businesses, markets, persons of other ethnic groups and members of opposing 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 is motivated by opposition politics, independent parties, sovereign interference, terrorist groups or any numbers 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 smart phone 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 includes; 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 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.”

The military high said it had put troops on red alert and vowed to resist attempts by any group to through the country into anarchy.

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

“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,” the DHQ said.