The Federal Government has revealed why President Bola
Tinubu never liked the idea of a nationwide protest.
Speaking to members of the Diplomatic Community in Abuja on
Wednesday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed
Idris, pointed out that the Tinubu administration utilizes all available
channels to communicate various opportunities and initiatives of the government
to the public.
Idris pointed out that it was for this reason the Federal
Government responded the way it did when the organizers issued a protest
notice.
“Our view was and is that now is not the time for protests; instead our focus should be on allowing these various initiatives and interventions of the Government to manifest fully.
“Genuine reforms take some time, but are always guaranteed
to deliver on what they promise.
“We mobilized to engage fully and freely with traditional
rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, civil society organisations, etc., to
appeal to them to shelve the planned protest and instead embrace dialogue.
“We also knew that a protest of this nature, lacking
coherent demands or an organizational structure, was very likely to be hijacked
by elements that do not have Nigeria’s interest at heart.
“Very sadly, that is what we have seen play out.
“Regrettably, what began as a peaceful protest in some
States and the Federal Capital Territory, was soon hijacked by elements who
infiltrated the protest and orchestrated violent activities that destroyed
lives and properties.
“There were reports of arson, vandalism, looting, and
clashes with law enforcement agents in several cities. Tragically, these
incidents led to the loss of innocent lives and significant damage to
properties.
“In response to these unforeseen events, the Federal
Government acted swiftly to restore peace and order.
“It is important to emphasize that the security forces were
instructed to exercise maximum restraint and adhere to international standards
in managing civil protests.
“They have indeed put in a lot of work to ensure the safety
of all law-abiding Nigerians, and to maintain order, in the last week. But they
have also been decisive in their response to criminality, and it is important
to separate these from their commendable approach to legitimate protests,”
Idris said.
He reiterated that the Federal Government has launched an
investigation into the violence that erupted during the protests, to identify
and bring to justice all those responsible.
“We are committed to preventing the recurrence of such
unfortunate incidents in the future,” he added.
“I want to assure you that the worst is over, and we can now
as a nation march forward to enjoy the fruit of all the policy and programme
interventions being implemented.”
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