THE military and the Police have commenced a massive nationwide deployment of soldiers and police personnel ahead of the August 1 #EndBadGovernance protest planned by some youths and civil society groups.
Findings by this newspaper on Monday also indicate that the security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, have put their personnel on red alert in anticipation of the proposed nationwide rally organised to draw the government’s attention to the economic hardship faced by citizens.
The organisers, who have refused appeals by the Presidency and police authorities to abandon the demonstrations, want an improvement in the soaring cost of living and a reversal of some harsh government policies, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy. The subsidy removal, along with ongoing security issues in farming regions, has led to increased transportation costs and subsequent food inflation.
And while most states distanced themselves from the impending protest, which government, prominent persons and groups fear might be hijacked, they are not giving anything to chance as our correspondents observed the unusual presence of security personnel in several states and Abuja.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, confirmed the troops’ deployment but said there was ‘’nothing new about it’’ noting that soldiers have always been deployed across the country for counter-terrorism operations.
He said, “Troops have always been deployed across the country in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. There is nothing new about that (deployment), please.”
However, checks by our correspondents revealed intensified surveillance patrol by the Guards Brigade, police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Monday.
This comes just as some youths in Niger State took to the streets in protest on Monday, barely one week after Governor Mohammed Bago announced that the state’s youths would not be part of the nationwide protest tagged #EndBadGovernance.
The protesters, who appeared unwilling to wait till Thursday, chanted anti-government slogans and carried placards with inscriptions like ‘Enough is Enough’; ‘Stop Anti-Masses Policies’; ‘We Are Not Slaves In Our Country’; ‘Hardship Is Unbearable’, ‘Fuel Subsidy Must Be Back’, among others.
The youths reportedly blocked the Abuja-Kaduna Road but only left following the intervention of soldiers stationed on the highway.
“The issue is that some boys were discovered around Kaduna road. Immediately the Area Commander, Suleja moved to the scene with his men and the situation was brought under control. They were dispersed immediately,” the Niger State Police Command spokesman, Abiodun Wasiu, told The PUNCH, while confirming the protest.
“There was no blockade of the road along Abuja-Kaduna Road. We also heard rumours that there was an issue around Madalla but as I speak with you there was no issue, there was no problem in Madalla.
“However the Area Commander is on show of force and monitoring situation within Suleja and environs. The area is calm, people should continue their lawful businesses,” Wasiu added.
Also, there was slow vehicular movements on the Abuja-Keffi and Abuja-Lokoja roads caused by the roadblocks set up by military and police personnel.