The Patriotism Awareness Forum (PAF) has commended the Nigeria Police Force for the arraignment of the perpetrators of violence and treasonable felony who deployed the deceit of a failed and unpopular uprising disguised as #Endbadgovernance protest in August 2024.
In a release issued and signed by the Convener Nelson Ekujumi and Co-Convener, Peter Claver Oparah, the group reminded Nigerians that during the failed and unpopular uprising of August 2024 disguised as a protest by faceless, disgruntled and anti-democratic elements, it called on the Nigerian government and the security agencies to investigate and prosecute the organizers and perpetrators of the violence unleashed on Nigerians and the failed attempt to overthrow a democratically-elected government by means other than through the ballot box as stipulated by our constitution.
According to the group, “Our demand for the investigation and prosecution of the agents of violence and attempts to overthrow a democratically elected government in August 2024, stemmed from the fact, that all the footprints of the failed and unpopular uprising in 2024, bore inseparable semblance to the 2020 #EndSARS protest of anarchy and insurrection”, for which the organizers and perpetrators were not arrested and prosecuted and thus became emboldened, to attempt a repeat of same crime against the Nigerian government and people in 2024.
“We recollect that when the rumours of the unpopular and failed uprising of August 2024 disguised as a protest against the cost of living became rife and posed a threat to national peace and security, the governments at various levels called for peace and dialogue and even invited the faceless organizers for a meeting, but knowing that their sinister agenda is not about the cost of living but against national interest, they remained in hiding and continued to issue threats, intimidation and provocation against the Nigerian government and people.
“Even the security agencies issued notices of threats to national security and democracy posed by the planned action of the insurrectionists and called for dialogue. Again, these agents of destabilization refused all entreaties for peaceful engagement because of their sinister and diabolical agenda against our democracy and national security.
“PAF then went on to remind Nigerians, that the failed and unpopular uprising of August 2024 disguised as #Endbadgovernance protest turned out as planned by the organizers with wanton destruction, burning, maiming, looting of public and private properties, killing of a policeman and attacks on innocent Nigerians, police formations and facilities as well as attempts to take over government houses, waving of a foreign country’s flag and calls for foreign government intervention in our democracy in some few states of the country save for those states who went to court to obtain an order to confine the protest of anarchy and insurrection to specific locations.
“We equally recollect that a day after the protest of anarchy and insurrection deceptively tagged #Endbadgovernance of August 2024, the Inspector General of Police Mr. Kayode Egbetokun addressed Nigerians and he was unmistakable in asserting that “In 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 IGP said. He said the events that took place in major cities were mass uprising and looting, not protest.
“The IGP further stated that “In places like FCT, Kaduna, Kano and Gombe, among others, we recorded incidents of unprovoked attacks on our security personnel where one policeman has been reported murdered and others seriously injured.” At the last count in August 2024, during the protest of insurrection meant to overthrow a democratically elected government, a number of states like Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Gombe and Plateau had to impose curfew to arrest the drift to a state of anarchy.
“PAF wants it placed on record that we condemned in its totality, the mischief and warped reportage of a section of the local and international media in portraying the arrest and prosecution of persons who abused and violated the inalienable rights to protest as enshrined in our constitution, to violate the laws of the land by engaging in arson, destruction of public and private properties and treason, as prosecution for protest.
“We are aware that being a minor under our law, is not a licence for lawlessness to kill, maim, destroy, loot and participate in the treasonable crime of seeking the overthrow of a legitimately elected democratic government by means other than through the ballot box.
“As parents who are pained and ashamed by the abuse of the so called minors to perpetuate violence and commit treason by conscienceless and disgruntled elements for political capital, but have now resorted to emotional blackmail against the government and the security agencies for performing their statutory functions as stipulated by law, we call for the quick dispensation of the cases for the sake of justice to the suspects and the society at large”.
“The group commends the Nigeria Police Force for its professionalism and dedication to duty, just as it charged Nigerians to remain vigilant and not allow themselves or their children or wards to become pawns on the chess boards of agents of destabilization seeking to gain political capital from our economic situation.
