Abuja’s Defence Headquarters issued a stern warning Thursday to organizers of a planned nationwide protest set for next week, saying that while citizens have the right to peaceful assembly, the military will not tolerate anarchy.
The protest, set for August 1-10 and tagged #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, aims to highlight widespread hunger and inflation. However, Director of Defence Media Operations Major General Edward Buba said the military has uncovered plots by “unscrupulous elements” to hijack the protest and turn it violent.
“While citizens have the right to peaceful protest, they do not have the right to mobilize for anarchy and unleash terror,” Buba said at a press conference in Abuja. He drew parallels to the ongoing protests in Kenya, describing them as violent and unresolved.
The military will not stand by and allow anarchy to take hold, Buba emphasized. “We’ve seen wars and witnessed anarchy in countries where we’ve operated,” he said, “We will not stand by and allow anarchy to befall our nation.” The warning comes as tensions rise ahead of the planned protest.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
