Police: Foreign flags display, calls for military coup during protest are treasonable offences

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says the display of foreign flags and calls for military takeover during the #EndBadGovernance protest are “treasonable offences”.

On August 1, Nigerian youths commenced a 10-day nationwide protest against economic hardship in the country.

However, the protest has been characterised by violence in some parts of the northern states, where protesters have been spotted waving foreign flags and calling for military intervention in the country.

The police said they had arrested some sponsors of the protest and the tailors sewing the Russian flags.

In a statement on Tuesday, Muyiwa Adejobi, the force spokesperson, said children were hired by “protest organisers” to wave foreign flags during the demonstration.

Adejobi described the action of the protest organisers as a “treasonable felony,” noting that they were out to “destabilise Nigeria’s democratic government”.

“The Nigeria Police Force has issued a stern warning against the display of foreign flags during protests and calls for a military takeover, categorizing such actions as treasonable felonies under Nigerian law,” the statement reads.

“This follows a wave of violent protests, particularly in Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, and Katsina states, where protesters brandished foreign flags.

“Ongoing investigations reveal that protest organizers in the states mentioned above are luring innocent children into participating in these unpatriotic and criminal acts.

“Over ninety suspects have been arrested, including tailors who sewed the flags and their sponsors.

“Efforts are underway to apprehend others who sponsored the production of the flags and fueled these treasonable acts.

“The display of foreign flags and calls for a military takeover constitutes a clear treasonable offence, revealing the motives of protest organisers to destabilise Nigeria’s democratic government.

“This aligns with actionable intelligence on the tactics of fifth columnists and non-state actors exploiting economic hardship protests to further their nefarious goals.”

Adejobu said there had been reduced tension since President Bola Tinubu addressed the nation on August 4.

“Some groups persist in subversive campaigns in the form of violent and unlawful protests, characterised by the destruction of public infrastructure and private property, looting, display of foreign flags, and calls for a military takeover,” he said.

“These individuals and groups will be treated as subversive agents and charged accordingly.”

The force spokesperson said Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police (IGP), has ordered Bala Ciroma and Bello Makwashi, deputy inspectors-general of police for the north-west and north-east zones, to handle operations in states within the region.

“They are tasked with stabilising the situation and preventing further violence in the affected states,” he added.

“The Nigeria Police Force reiterates that the use of foreign flags during protests and openly calling for a military takeover of the government is a capital offense under Nigerian law.

“The police caution Nigerian youths to be wary of individuals and groups turning protests into business ventures, funded by local or foreign sponsors aiming to destabilise the country.

“Evidence shows that these sponsors have paid significant sums to exploit the hardship protests, brainwashing and misleading innocent children into aiding this campaign against the government.”