Sequel to the pockets of violence so far recorded in some states during the #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria protests that started in different parts of the country on Thursday, August 1 across the country, the Nigerian military has threatened to intervene if the violence degenerates.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, who stated this in Abuja during a press conference said that the military would go the whole hog in controlling the looting and violence being witnessed in some parts of the nation.
“We will take action and the action we will take, we will take it professionally. Anyone that is caught will be taken to court and will be dealt with,” Musa said.
On Thursday when the protest started, about 17 people were reportedly killed as violence erupted in Borno, Jigawa, Abuja, Nigeria, Kano and Kaduna states.
The protests grounded business activities as shops, offices, banks and other business arenas were shut down. Also, roads were deserted as people could not go about their normal businesses.
The protest continued on Friday as the police and protesters had confrontations in different parts of the country.
The CDS urged Nigerians on the unity of the nation at “these trying times.”
Musa who cautioned against looting, destruction of valuables and vandalisation, decried the vibrations as “crazy.”
The CDS insisted that the military and other security agencies would not fold their arms and allow the country to be destroyed.
“The Armed Forces and the entire security agencies will not stand by and see that to continue. We want to warn those that are recalcitrant; those that don’t want to listen that we will not fold our arms and allow this country to be destroyed,” Musa said.
“There are a bunch of people who believe that it is only through this medium that they will be able to loot, steal and destroy and that is what they tried to do yesterday but we have arrested most of them that broke into places to steal and they will be prosecuted accordingly.
“We are also going behind to ensure that we also identify those that are involved. There are individuals who are sponsoring them, pushing them to do this, we are going after them,” Musa added.
