The Nigerian Police have issued a warning notice to Nigerians and any individuals who intend to participate in what is called ‘RevolutionNow’ protest being organized by Omoyele Sowore and other Nigerian rights activists against August 5 to stay clear from it, or risk a felony and terrorism charge.
The Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu, gave the warning notice in a statement on Saturday pointing out that such protest could incite anarchy in the country, hence, the need for anyone who may want to join it to have a rethink.
The initiator of the proposed protest, who is the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, had earlier declared that the demonstration would be peaceful, and released a list of demands that they saw as necessary to take Nigeria out of its current malaise.
Penpushing further reports that, Sowore who was arrested over the planned protest had alongside other members of the ‘RevolutionNow’ protest said Nigerians should ignore further excuses and take to the street in peaceful demand a better society for themselves and future generation.
‘At no time did the ‘RevolutionNow’ activists call for violence, and they drew inspiration from recent peaceful demonstrations in Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, and other parts of the world’, the organisers explained.
Penpushing also reports that, in the warning statement, police however, acknowledged that Nigerians have a constitutional right to speech and peaceful assembly, but warned, still, that the protest planned by Sowore and others should be scrapped because it may turn violent.
The statement issued by the Force Headquarters spokesperson, Frank Mba, said the protest is with the sole aim of forcing a regime change in the country, declaring that such amounts to treasonable felony and acts of terrorism and will therefore not stand idly-by and watch any individual or group in the society cause anarchy in the land.
‘The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a video circulating on the social media by the ‘Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria and others’, inciting Nigerians, home and abroad, to join a planned ‘revolution’ march against the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Monday, 5th August, 2019 with the sole aim of forcing a regime change in the country’.
‘The Force wishes to state unequivocally that the call amounts to treasonable felony and acts of terrorism and will therefore not stand idly-by and watch any individual or group in the society cause anarchy in the land’.
‘While acknowledging the rights of Nigerians to embark on protest, the Force wishes to note that such rights should not translate to a violent and forceful change of government which clearly is the meaning of ‘revolution’. Needless to state that Nigeria is a democratic republic and has well-defined processes for change of government, exercised periodically during various cycle of elections’.
‘The Force therefore warns the organisers, sponsors, allies, supporters, associates and sympathisers of the group ‘Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria’ to, in their own interest, steer clear of any such planned protest, demonstration, acts of incitement and proposed “revolution”, as the full wrath of the law will be brought to bear on any individual or group engaged or found participating in the above planned criminal act’.
‘Parents and guardians are therefore enjoined to impress on their children and wards not to allow themselves to be used in whatever form by any person or group of persons to cause breach of law and order in the country.The police will work with other law enforcement agencies and positive minded Nigerians to protect, defend and secure our public peace and space’.
