The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) stated that the military will intervene if the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests continue to escalate into violence.
During a press conference in Abuja on August 2, the Army chief urged protesters to understand that destruction is counterproductive and would only set the nation back.
“We should realise that these destructions and monies have to be used—monies for development will have to be used to develop these things so we can move forward, and so instead of doing that, we should come together to make sure nothing is destroyed.”
He added that the statement has already been communicated to local, state, and federal governments.
“We want to warn those that are recalcitrant, those that don’t want to listen, that we will not fold our hands and see our country destroyed. We will take action, and the action that we’ll take will be professional. Anyone who is caught will be taken to the courts to be dealt with.”
The CDS emphasized the need to avoid any actions that might lead to chaos in communities, noting, “We have seen the level of destruction that has been carried out just yesterday, and so you can imagine if this continues for so long. The armed forces and the entire military security agencies will not stand by and see that continue.”
Additionally, the military chief requested the media to reduce coverage of the protests, as some participants are merely seeking attention.
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“I noticed throughout yesterday all the stations were hooked up on the occasion. This is not an election; don’t give them that coverage because some of them are just looking for moments of being on the screen,” he remarked.
The End Bad Governance protests, which began on August 1, have resulted in significant destruction and looting of both private and public properties in several states, particularly in the North.