The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and heads of security agencies have directed the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) to arrest human rights activist and former presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and other ‘sponsors’ of nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest placed on watch-list.
Although the Comptroller General of NIS, Kemi Nandap, did not reveal identities of those watchlisted when she spoke to newsmen after a meeting of heads of militant and paramilitary agencies, at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, yesterday, a senior immigration officer confided in Daily Sun that Sowore is among those on the watchlist.
On August 1, Nigerians hit the streets to protest against various challenges, including the rising cost of living and insecurity in the country. What was meant to be a peaceful action turned violent in some parts of the country, resulting in the looting and vandalisation of properties and loss of lives.
A twist was introduced to it when protesters were seen waving flags of Russia and China and calling for a military intervention in the country in some parts of northern Nigeria, including Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, and Federal Capital Territory (FCT),
Speaking during a combined news conference by heads of security agencies and Service Chiefs convened by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, yesterday, Nandap, confirmed that the agency has identified some diaspora sponsors and were on its watchlist.
The immigration boss said they would be arrested if they stepped on Nigerian soil. “Any attempt they make to come into the country, we will be notified and they will be picked up and handed to appropriate authority.”
She said the service had, in response to the protest, deployed more officers to borders, both land and airports, to ensure effective manning of the entry ports. “The service has also stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country,” she said.
However, providing more information about those on the watch-list, a source at NIS said: “I can confirm to you that Sowore is definitely one of those on our watchlist. I saw his name among those forwarded to immigration to arrest on arrival in the country.”
Also, the Director General, Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi, represented by the service’s spokesman, Peter Afunanya, said the service was monitoring those concerned.
He said investigations showed that some of the persons operating such accounts were staying abroad and they were being monitored.
Bichi added that the service was also working with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to identify more persons behind the funding of the protest. He said some bank accounts had already been blocked.
Similarly, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said the police had uncovered some sponsors but declined to give further information on them. He said some accounts of such individuals had been blocked, adding that many of them reside abroad.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa has said the military and security agencies will go only after those bent on destabilising the nation’s democratic elected government. He said the military knew that some protesters calling for regime changes were sponsored, adding that the military and other security agencies were trailing them to bring them to book.
“I want to appreciate Nigerians for their understanding, for their commitment to upholding the law and order. We have had issues in the past few days, but you can see that people have seen reason for us not to continue with the destruction, to stop the looting, to stop giving opportunities for others to subvert our nation and to destroy our nation.
“They have also seen reasons to join hands with the security forces to make Nigeria better.
“We want to assure them we, on this side, are fully committed to Nigeria, we love the country, we are mindful of the fact that we have been equipped and so we are duty bound to protect the country. We are only after those that are against the states, not those that are innocent.
“So, I want to make that very clear and we will continue to work together as a team to support Mr. President in achieving his mandate of peace and tranquility in our dear country, Nigeria.”
The CDS called for the collaboration of all other agencies to ensure they achieved success and called for calm, mediation, discussion, dialogue towards national unity and cohesion as one great country.
He said the Nigerian military was people-centric in all its activities, adding they were not interested in anybody being killed or injured or being prosecuted, except those that have crossed the line.
He said the joint news conference was an opportunity to show that the military and all the security agencies were working as a team in line with the mandate of the president.
Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, said the main operational commitment of the army was to deploy resources to combat the protests that have turned riots to ensure sustainable peace in the country.
He said the army, under his command, was more concerned about bringing the country to a state of sustainable peace and security, adding that attention had not been diverted from its main operational commitment in combating terrorism and banditry.
“I checked the number of patrols that troops conduct, the number of ambushes that are undertaken on a daily basis, the number of violent insurgents that have been eliminated, incapacitated and other indices, and it has not dropped by whatever measure.
Also, we have continued to expand the frontier of peace and security in Borno State.
“Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are being returned to Kukawa and some other places as I speak to you, which are indices of return to peace and stability.
“So, the troops are not relenting in their operational commitment in the field on our contingency plan in the event that the situation degenerates.
“I want to also assure you that our estimates looking into the future suggest that the situation will not degenerate but we need cooperation of every stakeholder in Nigeria to achieve that,” he said.
In his remarks, Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla, said the agency would not sit back and watch subversive elements sponsoring violent protests to take over Nigeria.
He said Nigerians have a constitutional right to protest, noting that the armed forces share in the hopes and aspirations of citizens for better governance.
Ogalla said the armed forces have been doing all they could to ensure they provide the enabling environment to support President Bola Tinubu in reducing poverty and hardship.
“Particularly, the Nigerian Navy, we have been working towards addressing the issue of insecurity in our maritime environment, and this has yielded positive results, leading to an increase in our oil production.
“The armed forces are constitutionally charged with the responsibility of defending the nation from both internal and external aggressions and protecting the sovereignty of this country.
“This is for the overall good of all citizens. We have the responsibility of protecting the freedom of Nigerians and their ability to select who should lead them.
“When we see people protesting against bad governance and poverty, and we see other people calling for unconstitutional change of government and people calling for foreign intervention, it shows some of these protesters are not exactly what Nigerians were made to believe.
“It is obvious to us that many of these protesters are sponsored by subversive elements who are bent on disrupting the peace that we have enjoyed for the past 25 years of democratic governance.
“For that reason, as part of our constitutional responsibility of protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty, we stand ready to provide needed assistance to the Nigerian police to ensure order is restored to all parts of the country where the violent protests have started.
“The Nigerian Navy will not sit back to watch these subversive elements take over our commonwealth. We will do all that is required within the ambits of the law to show them they have no place in our society.”
The Chief of the Air Staff, Hasan Abubakar, said the Nigerian Air Force remained committed to ensure successful operations in all operational engagements of the armed forces.
He said the military was mindful of its commitment to defending the territorial integrity of the nation.
The chiefs of Army, Navy, Air Force and Defence as well as Inspector General of Police and representative of the director general of the Department of State Service, made presentations.
Also in attendance are the comptroller general of Nigeria Customs Service, comptroller general of Nigeria Immigration Service, commander general of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Credit: The Sun