Foreign mercenaries involved in planned protest

Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector General of Police (IGP), has disclosed that the force has credible intelligence that foreign mercenaries are involved in the planned nationwide protest.

He spoke in Abuja on Friday at a press conference following plans by the youths to stage a nationwide demonstration from August 1 to protest the economic challenges facing the country.

Egbetokun warned that peaceful protest in the country at this time might be inopportune, saying: “We take note of those who have spoken out against any form of protest at this critical juncture, fearing that the enemies of our country will manipulate the process.”

“We confirm that their fears are well-founded, as we have credible information about the involvement of foreign mercenaries in this planned demonstration.

“The Nigerian Police Force urges Nigerians to exercise caution and think twice before joining any protest group, while we alert citizens of the sinister motive of some groups planning to cause chaos.

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“It has become clear that even a peaceful protest at this time might be inappropriate.

“We issue a strong warning to clandestine groups who are planning to destabilise the country and to hoodlums who seek to exploit the protest for their criminal aims,” he said.

According to him, the police have recognised the constitutional right of Nigerians to peacefully assemble, hence, the police will provide security cover during the protest.

“To facilitate an incident-free demonstration, they (protest organizers) must provide the following information: one, the proposed route of the demonstration and the assembly point; two, the expected duration of the demonstration; three, the names and contact details of the leaders and organizers of the demonstration; four, measures to prevent hijacking by criminal elements, including key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers,” he added.

The IGP added that the police are ready to work with all Nigerians to promote “peaceful expression and maintain law and order.”