*Egbetokun Condemns Looting, Destruction Of Properties

*Place Police On Red Alert

*Wike Indicts Senator, Lauds Protesters For Shunning Violence

*Southeast Shuns Protest

THE #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria/protest against hunger, which commenced on Thursday, August 1, nationwide, went on peacefully in some states, while violence, arson and looking were reported in northern parts of the country, with at least 11 persons reported dead in clashes between security agents and protesters.

But in the entire Southeast, the people seemed to have shunned the protest, with only a pocket of anti-protest reported in a few places, such as Enugu State.

For virtually all parts of the zone, it was business as usual, as business outlets were opened and the people went about freely and peacefully. The zone is already contending with its own insecurity and challenges brought about by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) agitators, whose activities have crippled activities in the area, especially in Mondays.

     In some states,the residents either refused to join in the protest or protested in favour of the government in what has come to be known as ‘anti-protest protest.’

Six persons were killed during confrontations with the Police in Minna, Niger State, as the law enforcement agents tried to dismantle a roadblock set up by protesters.

In Borno State, four youths were killed, while in Kano, at least on protester died and another critically injured by Police stray bullets during a confrontation in the state capital.

There were also destruction and widespread looting of government and private properties in Kano, as hoodlums  vandalised and looted the Nigeria Communication Commission Industrial Park recently completed.

The hoodlums were seen in viral videos leaving with the looted items, including computers, furniture and electronics, before setting on fire.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, described the incident as sad and unfortunate, writing on his X handle: “Sad to learn that our Digital Innovation Park project in Kano slated for inauguration next week to support our technical talent accelerator (3MTT) has been set ablaze and looted by protesters.

“Alongside #3MTT, this building is set to host our buildathon holiday maker programme for secondary school kids starting next week’ he submitted on X.”

Governor Abba Yusuf later declared a 24-hour curfew “to restore order and ensure the safety of our communities, adding: “It is paramount that we protect our citizens from further harm and preserve the sanctity of our state’s institutions and businesses.”

      In Edo State, a truck load of bags of rice believed to be part of the Federal Government’s palliatives, stored in a warehouse, was looted.

At Asaba, the Delta State capital, four journalists covering the protest were manhandled during an attack on protesters by some anti-protesters suspected to be loyal to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The incident almost marred the otherwise peaceful protest that took off from Inter-Bau Roundabout, near Shoprite Complex. The procession was peaceful until the arrival of the thugs, who started chasing the protesters away, while heavily armed policemen and soldiers on guard initially looked on.

But the state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, insisted “PDP did not hire thugs to attack journalist or disrupt any protest.

 “This allegation is not true; the PDP did not send anyone, talk less of sending thugs to attack journalists covering the protest today.

“Some very responsible and well-meaning Delta youths were peacefully singing and dancing around the area for over two hours, under the very watchful, vigilant and cooperative presence of security personnel and journalists, when a bunch of unruly youths, acting on their own volition, approached them menacingly with the obvious intention of disrupting their assembly.

“PDP did not hire thugs to attack journalist or disrupt any protest; this allegation is obviously the handiwork of detractors, sponsored by those whose intention, as had already been speculated, was obviously to hijack the peaceful protest and cause mayhem, in order to give the state government a bad name.

“But the security agents acted promptly as they had promised, and immediately dispersed the unruly trouble makers.”

At Ughelli, hundreds of youths took to the streets, bearing placards with various messages, and later converged on Otovwodo Junction, blocking the Ughelli axis of the busy East-West road, as they expressed dissatisfaction with the hardship in the country.

This was against the advice of the Chairman of Ughelli North Local Council, Jaro Egbo, who advised them against taking to the streets, saying Oharisi Primary School was the designated location for peaceful demonstrations.

There were over 10 Toyota Hilux vans from the Nigerian Army, Mobile Police, Nigeria Civil Security Corps and Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) at key points to prevent any break down of law and order.

    In Lagos, most  businesses were closed, with anti-protest protesters roaming the streets, bearing “No to protest” placards. Some of them were reported to have confessed that they too were hungry and actually are in support of the protest, but had to carry the placards because they were given N5,000 each by some people who came to their community with buses to carry them to go and protest against the protest.

The pro-government counter-protesters faced little resistance, with a social media commentator saying: “The government’s efforts to stifle the protests had instead triggered a Streisand effect, giving them even more publicity.”

     The protest in Osun State saw residents of Osogbo march through the streets, taking off  from the Freedom Park , while their leaders later addressed journalists at the Olaiya Junction.

     The protesters carried  a large banner with the inscriptions, ‘End bad governance in Nigeria,’ and sang protest  songs, while lamenting economic hardships.

The state Coordinator of the Coalition of Concern Nigeria Citizen, Adetunji Ajala, demanded reversal of the increase in the pump price of petrol, saying: “Hunger, poverty and bad policy of this administration are affecting all of us. We are here not because of any political affiliation, not because anybody has given us money, what we have here is a reflection that people are displeased.

“The youth population is the largest and they are the ones suffering most. The office of the citizen is the highest in the land.
We are not afraid of anybody. What we have come to do is to exercise our rights.”

The Taraba State capital, Jalingo, witnessed a crowd of protesters, mostly between the age of eight and 13, who  thronged the streets, chorusing, Bamu ai, bamu ai, meaning, ‘we don’t agree, we don’t agree.’

The protest began at the popular Hamaruwa Way to the flyover bridge, closely monitored by security agents.

     In Yobe, the protest was violent in some parts of the state, necessitating the declaration of a 24-hour curfew in Gashua Nguru, and Potiskum, where some hoodlums took advantage of the protest to vandalise and loot government and private property, including seven mass transit buses.

     The action went on peacefully in Sokoto State, with protesters who gathered at the Round Meruwa Roundabout and the Sultan’s palace appealling to the Federal Government to review its economic policies.

     Spokesman  for the state Police Command, Ahmed Rufai (ASP), later disclosed that over 81 people were arrested and taken into custody on the suspicion of planning to use the protest as an opportunity to carry out criminal activities.

In Kaduna State, the protest began on a peaceful note, but later turned violent, leading to the death of three persons and several others injured.

     The protesters, who overwhelmed security agents, left  the Rigasa area for the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, the official residence and office of the Governor before the protest turned violent.

Later in the day, Governor Uba Sani has described reports of curfew in the state as untrue, assuring that the situation was under control.

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara had a bitter encounter with protesters in front of Government House, Port Harcourt, when he added “I will give you a small thing for you to drink pure water” while addressing them.

That comment infuriated the protesters, who chorused, ‘No, no. We don’t need your money. Keep your money, we want good governance in Nigeria.”

Fubara had earlier stated: “I thank you for being peaceful. I thank you for coming. I feel your pain. I want to assure you that I will deliver your message to the President.

“Here in Rivers state, we will do everything to make life better. But all we need from you is to support the Federal Government. We know there is hunger, but just be patient with the government.”

In Katsina State, the protest turned violent, with hoodlums cashing in on the situation to loot looted shops and vandalised properties.

     Protesters set bonfire close to Katsina home of former President Muhammadu Buhari after the planned action was hijacked by hoodlums in some parts of the state, injuring some persons and destroying property in the process.

In the state capital, protesters wielding placards with various inscriptions stormed the Government House to register their grievances, that the process was soon hijacked by miscreants, who looted shops and vandalised property.

In Buhari’s hometown, Daura, residents made bonfires near his residence, chanting “hunger wants to kill us’ and “we don’t want” in Hausa language.

     There was pandemonium in Bulumkutu area of Maiduguri, Borno State capital, when an Immigration officer accidentally shot himself thrice on the foot while blocking protesters.

The sound of the gunshots infuriated the protesters who went wild, thinking one of them had been shot, but they calmed down when it was ascertained that it was indeed an Immigration personnel that shot himself accidentally.

The wounded officer was part of a joint team of the Police, military, Immigration, DSS, Civil Defence barricaded the Bulumkutu Railway Junction to disperse the protesters and prevent them from heading to the main city of Maiduguri. 

The officer, whose identity has not been disclosed, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Some of the protesters were demonstrating against government’s handling of the ongoing insurgency in the region, while others called for end to corruption, high cost of living and other issues bedeviling the country.

      In the heat of the protest, the Minister of the FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike, said security agencies have identified an unnamed senator was sponsoring the protests in the city by providing food for the protesters.

Wike, shortly after a security meeting in Abuja, said: “We have information that a senator had to invite some security agencies to lead some of them to go and provide food for the protesters. That is sponsorship; a senator providing food for protesters.

“At the appropriate time, security agencies will invite the senator and find out how you will be sponsoring this kind of thing against the government of the day.”

He added that there was intelligence suggesting that protesters want to destroy public property on Friday, August 2, noting: “You saw what happened today, where some people tried to move into Eagle Square.

“Miscreants may not have succeeded in what they wanted to do, but we have intelligence that they are coming out tomorrow to destroy property that will lead to loss of lives.

“The security agencies will not allow that. Every protester, please, go to the MKO Abiola Stadium and do your protest. That is what the court said.

“See what happened in some of the states today. Now, look at the loss of lives. If such a thing happens in the FCT, what do you think people would say? Here, we have the international community carrying out their businesses.”

He, however, commended protesters in the FCT for shunning violence and choosing peace, restating the federal government’s readiness to dialogue with the protesters, saying President Bola Tinubu’s administration was taking necessary measures to alleviate the hardship of Nigerians.

The Lagos State Government commended residents over their peaceful conduct during the nationwide protest.

A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotosho, in Lagos on Thursday, stated: “The Lagos State Government has watched closely today’s protest in some parts of the state and would like to put on record the peaceful conduct of Lagosians.

“This is the way it should be in our dear state, according to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.”

The government, according to the statement, also noted the slowdown of business in some parts of the state, perhaps due to residents’ fear that hooligans and architects of anarchy might hijack the protest.

“Thankfully, that did not happen. To a large extent, Lagosians have chosen to embrace peace and shun the path of destruction, while expressing their views and constitutional right to protest.

    “The message of the protest- hunger in the land- has also been well noted. It is, however, important to reiterate the fact that the Federal Government is taking steps to reverse the situation.

“Besides opening the National Grains Reserve, the Federal Government has suspended import duties on food items, a measure that will, no doubt, ensure that the current food shortage is addressed and high prices are rolled back.

“We will work with all food distributors to ensure that our citizens enjoy the resultant price reductions.”

The statement said the state governor had promised to bring back the popular Sunday market, with its 25 per cent discount on all major food item, to further ease the hardship, while the medical outreach, which offered treatment free of any charge to residents, would also return.

It added: “We are finalising the logistics for its implementation. We will continue to ensure that all expectant women enjoy free delivery in our hospitals.

“The 25 per cent slash in fares on all our transport facilities will continue. So will all the other measures we have put in place to relieve Lagosians of the burden of these times.

“Considering all the federal and state governments have done, all lovers of peace will agree that it is time the protesters called off their action. Their voice has been heard- loud and clear.”

The statement said the state government would continue to engage all stakeholders to ensure that the state remained peaceful and a beacon of hope for all, noting: “Lagosians are enjoined to go about their businesses without any fear.

“Security agents will continue to ensure that our Lagos State is safe and that businesses can operate without any harassment.”

    Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, has condemned the looting, destruction of properties and attempts to occupy government buildings during the  protests.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday night, during an appraisal of the first day of the protest, Egbetokun noted destruction of properties in Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, Niger and Jigawa states, as well as Abuja, adding: “Regrettably, events in some major cities today showed that what was being instigated was mass uprising and looting, not protest.

“Those who were at the forefront of promoting the idea of the protest were not around to lead it. Hoodlums have been let loose on innocent Nigerians and their hard-earned businesses and property looted and destroyed.

“The motive of the rioters was to loot and destroy both private and government property. The destruction so far has been mind-boggling.

“There has been destruction of properties in Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, FCT Abuja, Niger, Jigawa. Police stations have been destroyed, there have been attempts to take over Government Houses and looting of government infrastructures. Several warehouses and shops have so far been looted and, in several instances, destroyed.”

The IGP said going forward, the Police will do whatever it takes to ensure safety of lives and property, adding: “In the light of the current situation, the Nigeria Police Force has placed all units on red alert.

“Our officers are fully mobilised and prepared to respond swiftly and decisively to public safety and order.

“The red bands we are wearing signify that our command is on high alert. Those claiming they were not served court orders must understand that serving faceless individuals is challenging. Their threats were made on social media, and they were served through the same platform.

“Despite the refusal of the protesters, for instance, in FCT, to adhere to a court order requesting that protest in Abuja should be at the National Stadium, they trooped to the streets, and yet the Police provided security for them. At no point did we breach their fundamental rights, even as they breached the court order.

“In places like FCT, Kaduna, Kano and Gombe, among others, we recorded incidents of unprovoked attacks on security personnel, where one policeman has been reported murdered and others seriously injured.”