DSS: We’ve identified sponsors of planned protest | Regime change is the agenda

The Department of State Services (DSS) says it has identified those behind the planned nationwide protest.

In a statement on Thursday, Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesperson, said the service is applying a “non-kinetic measure and conflict resolution” to address the impending protest.

There are reports that youths across the country are planning to embark on nationwide protest over the increasing cost of living.

The DSS spokesperson said the secret police found the planned demonstration to be “politically motivated”.

“While peaceful protest is a democratic right of citizens, the Service has confirmed a sinister plan by some elements to infiltrate the protest and use it to cause chaos and extreme violence in the land,” the statement reads.

“It has also identified the reason behind the protest to be political.

“The plotters desire to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments; make them unpopular and pit them against the masses. The long-term objective is to achieve regime change, especially at the centre.

“The Service has also identified, among others, the funding lines, sponsors, and collaborators of the plot.

“However, it does not think that aggression should be the first line of action in the instance, in handling the emerging scenario.

“It has instead variously applied non-kinetic and conflict resolution strategies, including moral suasion, stakeholder engagement, and other multi-track diplomatic shuttles, to dissuade the planners from actualising their undesirable objective.”

Afunanya said the “agitators” should use “ample ways” available to them to channel their grievances without resorting to violence.

“The Service calls on people of goodwill, leaders of thought, captains of industry, labour unions, student associations, youth leaders, the civil society, clergy, NGOs, women groups, civil servants, and politicians to shun any invitation to participate in any orchestrated violence, deliberately designed to cause disaffection in the country,” he said.