The Patriotism Awareness Forum (PAF) having watched developments in the polity over the past few weeks with regards to a planned 1st -10th of August 2024 nationwide protest march by faceless and unknown persons and groups but who only started surfacing with less than a week to the take off date of their action, was left with no other option but to condemn the guerilla style of organizing a protest which is a fundamental right of citizens or group of citizens in any society.
Based on the above observations, PAF was forced to issue a statement calling on the Nigerian government and people to be alert to the activities of this faceless and unknown planners of a proposed protest which bears unassailable semblance with that of the 2020 EndSARS protest of insurrection and anarchy.
PAF like other well meaning Nigerians and groups, joined the call for the faceless and unknown secret planners to come public if their intentions are genuine and engage the government in dialogue because our memory is still assaulted with the aftermath of the 2020 EndSARS protest in which the protesters embarked on stealing, rape, maiming, vandalization, burning, destruction and looting of private and public properties.
The EndSARS protesters went as far as attacking and burning correctional centres and setting free detainees, attacking and burning police stations and formations, injuring, maiming and killing police officers. They cannibalized dead policemen, set free detainees and carted away arms and ammunition.
As expected in a democracy, the governments at various levels, in order to avert the violence that may likely occur from a nationwide guerilla protest of this kind, going by the destructive tendencies of threat statements, cacophony of demands and other signals coming from the secret planners, embarked on dialogue and discussions with all strata of the society on the need to keep the peace and allow government tackle the myriad of problems confronting the society.
The Patriotism Awareness Forum (PAF) having monitored and observed the Day 1 of the nationwide guerilla protest today 1st August 2024 wishes to wholeheartedly congratulate and commend the ever politically-conscious Nigerian people for standing firm against being manipulated because of the present economic challenges by shunning enmasse the politically-motivated guerilla planned nationwide protest which only occured in very few states of the federation.
We commend Nigerians for massively boycotting the protest, which has reduced the protest to a gathering of few disgruntled people that were bent to protest even with the positive intervention of a cross section of well meaning Nigerians and groups.
PAF also commends the security agencies for their professionalism in the deployment of their personnel to maintain law and order which went a long way in assuring that the people, to go about their lawful engagements, while protecting the protesters too, in line with the tenets of constitutionalism and democracy.
PAF commends President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for once again displaying his incontrovertible quality as a Democrat per excellence by promoting dialogue across the strata of the society through his marching order to the sub nationals, which went a long way in dousing the tension ignited by the protest plan.
However, PAF notes that in an isolated report, we read reports that protesters in Kano State broke into some stores and the yet to be commissioned NCC centre and looted them. While we condemn this nefarious act, we urge the law enforcement agencies to be firm and decisive in dealing with this situation with a view to apprehend and bring the culprits to face the full wrath of the law.
Sadly, because of the threats from the organizers of the guerilla protest, a lot of businesses didn’t open early or shut down on Day 1 of the protest out of fear of violence, which goes a long way to underscore the fact that this guerilla protest is not about the Nigerian masses’ economic interest, which has been undermined by this protest. The protest is about some parochial political and economic interest and Nigerians have demonstrated this fact by boycotting the protest which is not about their collective interest.
PAF is not unaware of the economic times confronting Nigerians which is a reality, but wish to admonish that we all remain calm, patient and allow government policies and programmes meant to address it, manifest in the fullness of time for our collective good.
As we look forward to Day 2 of the protest tomorrow August 2, 2024, PAF calls on Nigerians to remain peaceful, calm and vigilant against the plots of anti democratic elements and agents of anarchy who want to exploit their economic conditions for very narrow selfish political gains. PAF insists that the protest organizers have dangerous selfish interests other than national interest and we urge Nigerians to continue to shun this protest.
We equally call on the security agencies to continue to remain vigilant, professional and committed to the defence of Nigeria by ensuring that any threat to the sustenance of law and order and national security is neutralized with the full weight of the law.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Thank you.
Yours Sincerely,
Nelson Ekujumi,
Convener.
Peter Claver Oparah
Co-Convener.
