Military won’t condone violent protests, DHQ warns

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says it would not condone anarchy in the guise of a nationwide protest. 

Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Edward Buba, director of defence media operations, said the “contemporary context” of the planned protest in Nigeria is to “shadow what is happening in Kenya”.

Buba said although citizens have the right to peaceful protests as enshrined in the constitution, they do not have the “rights to mobilise for anarchy and unleash terror”.

The defence spokesperson said the military has “detected” plans by some “unscrupulous elements” to hijack the protest and perpetrate violence.

“I will say that the contemporary context of this planned protest is to shadow what is happening in Kenya and I will add that what is happening in Kenya in terms of protest, one, it is violence, two, it remains unresolved as we speak,” he said.

“Already, we have detected some unscrupulous elements bent on hijacking the planned protest with the aim of making it violent. Many are therefore following in ignorance.”

There have been reports of a youth-led nationwide protest over the pervasive economic hardship.

The protest is reportedly billed to commence on August 1.

The federal government and President Bola Tinubu have appealed to leaders of the protest to shelve the demonstration.

The defence spokesperson said the level of violence “being envisaged” during the planned protest can only be described as a “state of anarchy”.

“The armed forces, on its part, would not stand by and allow anarchy to befall our nation. This is because we have seen and witnessed anarchy in countries we have operated,” he added.