Aug 1st Protest: Army Warns Against Allowing Anarchy in the Nation
In addressing the much-discussed nationwide protest planned for August 1st, the military has stressed the importance of examining the motivations behind it. The military is questioning whether the protest is driven by opposition politics, independent parties, foreign interference, terrorist groups, or organizations exploiting Nigerians’ frustrations.
The military emphasizes that while citizens have a constitutional right to peaceful protest, they do not have the right to incite anarchy or violence. Concerns have been raised that the protest could be hijacked by elements aiming to turn it violent, with targets potentially including smartphone owners, car owners, shop owners, homeowners, places of worship, businesses, markets, ethnic groups, and political party members.
The Armed Forces have made it clear that they will not stand by and allow anarchy to spread in the nation. Drawing on experiences from peacekeeping missions and operations in countries affected by war and anarchy, the military warns against romanticizing such states. The realities of war and anarchy involve real people and real suffering, not the fictionalized portrayals seen in movies. People can lose loved ones and everything they have worked for in times of conflict.
The military urges the public to avoid sparking unrest and to allow the government time to address the current hardships and improve the nation’s conditions. The timing and atmosphere of this protest are different from previous ones, and igniting unrest now could lead to unpredictable and widespread consequences. The call is for calm and patience to give the government a chance to remedy the situation and restore the nation’s prosperity.
