The Director for Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, has expressed concerns about planned protests in Nigeria, stating that some Nigerians may be inspired by the ongoing protests in Kenya as they seek to raise awareness about economic hardships.
During an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, Buba emphasized that while people have a constitutional right to protest, they are not entitled to organize for anarchy or to inflict terror on the country.
Buba spoke about the possibility of Nigerians replicating the protests seen in Kenya. He emphasized the importance of understanding the current context of the protests and pointed out that the situation in Kenya is violent, with reports of property destruction.
He said, “Let’s look again at Kenya where they want to shadow. Now, we see the Kenyan government has given a lot, but still, the situation is unresolved up till date. We wouldn’t want such a situation to happen in our country. And what we’re saying is we need to quench the fire of violence rather than ignite it. Because when we ignite it, there’s no telling how far that fire will go,”
When asked about the possible motivations behind the protest, Buba said, “Essentially, there are several factors to be considered in examining the motivation for these protests. is it motivated by opposition politics? Is it motivated by sovereign interference? Could it be motivated by interest parties or by terrorist groups or even organizations that are feeding on the frustrations of Nigerians?
“Now, the intelligence organizations and agencies are doing a good job of pointing out and pointing to us those that can be picked up, and the relevant agencies are at it. But it must be stated that while the protesters have a constitutional right to conduct peaceful protests, they do not have a right to mobilize for anarchy and the unleashing of terror.”
He also added, “I will say that we have conducted protests in this country prior to now, but this particular one is different, and it is different because there is an atmosphere of hardship, and that atmosphere of hardship, they say, a hungry man is an angry man.”
Buba then proceeded to speculate that certain individuals or groups may be exploiting Nigerians’ frustration. He suggested that it could be opposition parties, terrorist organizations, foreign interference, or interest groups that are capitalizing on the discontent within the country.
The Major General expressed concerns about potential targeted violence during the protests. He mentioned that people with certain statuses, such as those who own smartphones, cars, properties, businesses, and even air conditioning, might become targets.
Additionally, he specified that worship centers, markets, and other areas could also be potential targets for violence during the protests.
On the military’s plan of action, Buba stated “I will say that the constitution is very clear as to how and when the military gets involved in such situations. There is what is called military aid to civil authority, which involves the deployment of the military in such a situation in support of the police and civil security to maintain law and order. Until we are invited, we don’t come in. But for now, what we are doing is carrying out situational awareness, to read what’s happening in the environment so that at a point, if we are called in, we know exactly what’s happening.”
