The federal government has called on the organizers of the proposed nationwide protests to pursue dialogue rather than resort to disorder. The government emphasized its commitment to engaging with stakeholders on the country’s economic, social, and political challenges.
Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu, the director-general of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), stated in a press release yesterday in Abuja that the agency has successfully identified the sponsors of the proposed protests and potential flashpoints across the nation. He assured that measures will be taken to prevent any violent occurrences in these identified locations.
“The channels of communication with the government and its various arms remain open for dialogue,” Onilu stated. “The government will continue to respect citizens’ rights to protest and associate freely in line with democratic principles.”
Onilu emphasized that the identities of many protest organizers and their collaborators residing abroad are known, and the government is taking necessary actions to thwart their subversive plans.
He argued that the true intentions of those behind the planned protests are not about governance or the state of the economy but rather a ruse to destabilize the country, cause chaos, and perpetrate violence for narrow political reasons.
The NOA is intensifying its efforts in civil intelligence gathering and sensitizing community leaders, parents, and youths across the 774 local governments on the importance of vigilance and collective preventive actions.
Additionally, Onilu noted that another objective of the protest is to project an image of an unstable country to the international community, as part of a broader scheme to intimidate the government and seek support from the larger sponsors of the planned protest.