The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps will deploy 30,000 personnel across the country to safeguard critical national assets and infrastructure in response to the planned nationwide hunger protest.
This announcement was made by the NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, during a meeting with Commandants and Zonal Commandants at the Corps’ national headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
Audi highlighted the necessity of the deployment due to intelligence reports indicating that criminals may attempt to hijack the protest to cause chaos and harm innocent Nigerians and national infrastructure.
The protest, set to begin on August 1, has been organised by young Nigerians and various civil society groups under the #EndBadGovernance banner.
Nigerians are demonstrating against the soaring cost of living and the perceived failure of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to address economic hardships.
Tinubu, who assumed office in May 2023, ended the fuel subsidy with the promise of redirecting the funds towards infrastructural development.
However, the policy, along with ongoing security issues in farming regions, has led to increased transportation costs and subsequent food inflation.
While affirming Nigerians’ right to protest, Audi emphasised that the demonstrations must remain peaceful and warned against any destruction of government property.
He assured that the NSCDC would protect peaceful protesters and be prepared to arrest any troublemakers.
The CG said, “Your duty is to ensure the protest is peaceful as we do not want violence, destruction of assets, killings and burning of properties; therefore it behoves you to work within the whims and caprices of the NSCDC Standard Operating Procedures and Code of Ethical Standard.
”Your role is to maintain peace and ensure that government infrastructure, utilities and property are adequately protected from hoodlums who might want to hijack the whole process to carry out their nefarious acts”
“Do not molest or harass any citizen as they protest peacefully knowing fully well that they have the right to protest but they do not have the right to destroy government properties.
“Based on the foregoing I have ordered the deployment of no fewer than 30,000 personnel nationwide which includes Intelligence and other Tactical Units across all formations; the Zonal Commanders and all State Commandants in the 36 States and FCT are to supervise their personnel and monitor the protest with a view of ensuring the protection of lives and property as well as securing the nation’s critical assets and infrastructure.”
The NSCDC boss expressed the corps’ readiness for the protest and stated that the meeting aimed to finalise strategies for the deployment.
He also urged Nigerians to be patient with Tinubu’s administration, which he claimed is working hard to improve living conditions and appealed to parents to discourage their wards from participating in the protest.