The Nigeria Army has cautioned organisers of the planned nationwide protest against rising cost of living to avoid violence and not emulate the Kenyan protest against tax, which left about 50 persons dead.
Speaking to media representatives Thursday in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said there was a need to avoid violence that would throw the nation into anarchy.
“While citizens have the right to peaceful protest, they do not have the right to mobilise for anarchy and unleash terror.
“It is easy to see that the contemporary context of the planned protest is to shadow the outrage in Kenya which I must say is violent and remains unresolved,” he said.
“The level of violence being envisaged can only be described as a stage for anarchy.
“The Armed Forces on its part will not stand by and allow anarchy to befall our nation. This is because we have seen wars and have witnessed anarchy in countries with which we have operated, particularly in times of ECOMOG (Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group) and during our peacekeeping operations in various countries.”
The faces behind the planned protest billed for August 1 is yet unknown, but the government of President Bola Tinubu has been on overdrive having cabinet meetings and consulting with State governors to nip the protest Nigerians are looking forward to.
President Tinubu’s economic policies from day one in office have driven prices of goods and services through the roof, the naira remains weak and inflation keeps on rising in double digits.
