The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, said yesterday the Police had arrested some of the real sponsors of rioters who hoisted foreign flags and called for a change of government in the country in states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, among others.
The IGP spoke as the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, disclosed that sponsors of foreign flags by the rioters had been identified to live abroad.
Just as the protest in Port Harcourt intensified, the protesters marched to the private residence of Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike blocking the popular East-West road and other major roads to traffic.
However, in Kano, the state government modified its dusk-to-dawn curfew between 6 am and 6 pm, and in Kaduna, where the state government imposed a lull in the city while Abuja and Lagos remained calm yesterday.
IGP Egbetokun also disclosed that funders of the violence and subversion both within and outside the country had been tracked, with their accounts blocked and sources of funding stopped.
Egbetokun and other security chiefs spoke at the joint media briefing summoned by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa at Defence Headquarters in Abuja yesterday, noted that the Police had been careful in managing the crisis without deploying water cannons, live and/or rubber bullets but only teargas.
He said the reported shooting of an innocent protester in Kubwa, Abuja, was not the handiwork of Police operatives but armed robbers or armed hoodlums.
“Since August 1, nobody has fired gunshots and we didn’t use force on innocent protesters. We only provided security for them. Even amid the protest, we have arrested several armed robbers, and criminal elements who stole and committed other offences.
Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Garba, also yesterday said his command arrested no fewer than six Spanish nationals in connection with the protest.
CP Garba, who made this known in a phone interview with Vanguard, said the command also arrested 76 others, including the tailor sewing Russian flags, saying the command is on the trail of the sponsor.
“We have arrested six Spanish nationals and 76 others, including the tailor. We recovered 23 Russian flags, we are trailing the sponsor.
“They have been transferred to Force Headquarters because it has to do with sedition and national security,” the CP stated.
On her part, the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, revealed that Diaspora sponsors of protesters have been placed on the agency’s watchlist.
Nandap, who didn’t reveal any name, added that the watch-listed individuals will be arrested on their arrival in the country.
She said: “We have diaspora sponsors, they are on our watchlist. They are watchlisted, any attempt they make to come into the country, we’ll be notified and they will be picked up and handed to the appropriate authorities.”
The Immigration boss said the agency had in response to the protest, deployed more officers to borders, both land and airports, to ensure effective manning of those entry points.
She said the agency had also stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country.
In his remarks, Director-General, Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Bichi, said the agency has uncovered some sponsors but declined to give further information.
Bichi, represented by the Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunanya, said some accounts had been blocked.
He said some of the persons operating such accounts are staying abroad, adding that they are being monitored.
The DG said the identity of sponsors of the foreign flags distribution would soon be made public.
Similarly, Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa, disclosed that the constant briefing of the media showed the respect and love the security agencies have for the country and their commitment to their task.
“The only people we are after is the enemy of the state who should be ready to face the law. We will not relent in pursuing those who continue to encourage subversion. We will remain professional and our men on the fields will remain professional as well,’’ he said.
Also speaking at the briefing, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, disclosed that long before the protest, the Nigerian Army had deployed troops due to security challenges across Nigeria, noting that the Army stood assured of protecting Nigeria’s democracy, peace and harmony and will not shift ground on that.
While advising youths in the country to desist from violence as the act was needless, Lagbaja said the Nigerian Army will not watch the country slide into anarchy, adding “We will continue to partner with other security agencies in maintaining peace and stability.’’
In Port Harcourt, protesters blocked a section of the busy East-West Road, NTA Road and other major roads in the state.
Sensing a possible breakdown of law and order, the state Police Command restricted the protest to two venues, including the recreational Isaac Boro Park and the Pleasure Park, both in the centre of the state capital.
Also, protesters who defied the appeal of President Bola Tinubu to end the protest, split themselves into groups, burning more tyres and threatening any vehicle without green leaf on its bonnet to clear and park.
As early as 9 am yesterday, protesters had blocked the Obiri-Ikwerre axis of the East-West Road and the Rumuokoro end, leaving motorists stranded and causing a traffic snarl.
The protesters sang anti-government songs and called on President Tinubu to resign.
One of the protesters simply identified as Igbaki, vowed: “We will not get tired of this protest till day ten. We are tired and hungry and we say no to bad governance in Nigeria.
“The President’s broadcast is nothing to write home about because he didn’t address any of the issues we raised for embarking on this protest. Tinubu must go, he has failed Nigerians and the entire world.”
Some of the protesters made quick business, selling leaves to owners of vehicles trapped in the gridlock for between N100 and N200, while others attempted to force the drivers to join the procession.
The other group of protesters converged on the federal secretariat and moved to the Ikwerre Road axis of Diobu in Port Harcourt as traffic built up in the area, while many vehicles made u-turns to avoid harassment.
Some of the protesting groups had youths between the ages of 10 and 13 years brandishing green leaves, planks and other dangerous weapons, threatening innocent people on the road and looting items, particularly edible goods displayed on the roadside for sale.
Despite their ages, they were also singing the “Tinubu Must Go” songs and looking very frightful. It was learnt that some of the protesters marched to the private residence of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to register their presence.
Reacting to the development, the spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the restriction of the protesting venue was informed by the fact that the youths were infringing on the rights of others.
“We have restricted the protest to the Isaac Boro Park and the Pleasure Park to prevent a breakdown of law and order. As we speak, they have started infringing on the rights of others and we (Police) will not allow that. We are calling on them to stay in these two venues or else anyone that flouts this order will be arrested and prosecuted,’’ she warned.
She also dismissed reports that the FCT minister’s residence at Ada-George in Port Harcourt was attacked, saying nothing of such happened.
Dismissing the rumour, the national coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, CBRPAC, Prince Wiro, said there is no iota of truth in the story, adding that bloggers and social media platform owners should be careful with the kind of information they push out for public consumption, especially during sensitive times as the one the country is at the moment.
“That information is not correct. The protesters were coming from the Choba axis of the Ada-George Road. When they got to Minister Wike’s house, they stopped at the right lane of the road. The minister’s house is on the left lane. There was also a very heavy police presence there.
“What they did was that for the 15 minutes or so that they spent on that lane, they were reciting the former national anthem ‘Arise O’ Compatriots, Nigeria’s Call Obey” and raising green leaves to the sky with unusual excitement.
“They did not spend more than fifteen minutes because there is no way they could have gained access to the premises with such heavy presence of armed policemen.”
Sources alleged that some of the business interests belonging to the minister had the presence of heavily armed security personnel on guard with Armored Personnel Carriers, APC, on display apparently to ward off any eventuality or infiltration by hoodlums.
In other reports, a boiling pot like Kaduna was calm yesterday, following the 24-hour curfew imposed by the state government to douse the protest that turned riotous on Monday.
There was a scarcity of bread, rice and other essentials in Hayin Banki and other neighbouring communities, as the popular Kawo weekly Talata (Tuesday ) market could not hold due to the curfew.
Women were seen going around the community in search of bread and rice, which were scarce as retail shops were either shut or could not get enough supply of bread from the bakery.
The Police in Kaduna, whose operatives were spotted enforcing the curfew, except for those on essential duties, such as medical personnel and journalists, said they arrested 39 suspects, including a tailor who was sewing Russian flags for the protesters.
“These individuals, seen displaying Russian and Chinese flags, mobilized and engaged in the vandalism of private and public properties. Among the damaged properties were a Hilux vehicle belonging to KADVS, a Toyota Yaris owned by a journalist, and the KASTLEA office in Zone 6, Zaria, which was set on fire,” spokesman of the Kaduna State police command, ASP Mansir Hassan, said.
ASP Hassan, who debunked the story that hoodlums seized an Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, belonging to the police, explained further that the Police, in collaboration with other security agencies, had intervened to restore order in the state.
He added: “During the confrontation, the suspects became hostile and resorted to using stones, catapults, and other weapons. The police managed to calm the situation with minimal use of tear gas.
“In total, 39 suspects were arrested at the scene, including a tailor who was sewing the foreign flags for the group. The police recovered 38 Russian flags, one Chinese flag, two catapults with a bag of stones, and various vandalized items.”
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Ali Dabigi, while commending his officers, issued a stern warning to all residents to adhere to the imposed curfew. He assured that violators will face arrest and prosecution by the law.
“The CP also appealed to all citizens to cooperate with the Police and other security agencies during this critical period. The curfew is in place to protect lives and property, and ensure the swift restoration of peace in Kaduna State.’’
In Kano, Governor Abba Yusuf yesterday relaxed the 24-hour curfew in the state for 12 hours daily.
The governor announced this after a security council meeting with security heads in the state to review the security situation.
The governor said the curfew was relaxed from 6 am to 6 pm, adding that this was to allow residents to go about their day-to-day activities and legitimate businesses. He said the curfew will resume fully after 6 pm to 6 am.
He said, “We reviewed the security situation at the security council meeting and decided that the curfew be relaxed from 6 am to 6 pm to allow people to go about their day-to-day activities. The curfew will take effect from 6 pm to 6 am.’’
He applauded the security agencies for their role in ensuring the safety of lives and properties as well as the recovery of looted properties, saying that about 60 percent of the looted properties had been recovered.
Recall that Governor Yusuf had declared the curfew last Thursday evening after the protest was hijacked by hoodlums who turned violent, maiming residents and looting properties.
In Abuja, the protests significantly dwindled ebbed, with only two women, Ene Obi and Hauwa Mustapha, seen holding a sit-out at the Moshood Abiola stadium yesterday.
This marks a significant decrease in participation, as protesters face challenges accessing the central business district due to government restrictions.
The government-approved MKO Abiola National Stadium has failed to attract protesters, who believe it limits their visibility and impact.
Instead, security personnel dispersed demonstrators from various locations, enforcing a court order to confin the protest inside the stadium.
Ene Obi, one of the organizers, vowed to continue the sit-out, criticizing the government’s response to their demands.
“Look at the president speaking to Nigeria. It was an empty speech. What are you telling us? Not even one of the demands has been met. Bring down the prices of petroleum products. This is the same government that fought against the removal of fuel subsidies. And the same president has used it to punish Nigerians.
“We are mothers. What they are doing is setting our children against us. Even the police and security agencies – which of them is going to a different market? Their money is useless. They are turning our children against us. The mothers in the land are wounded, with no employment.
‘’Many of our children have gone to school but have no employment. They said you need to appoint one minister from every state. We don’t have a minister of state in the constitution. And they are even creating more seats for more ministers to come in.
‘’There are no signs from the government to show us that they can bring down the cost of governance,” she said. The protest, now in its sixth day, has been marked by violent clashes with police, who have fired tear gas at demonstrators.
