The Department of State Services (DSS) has issued a strong warning to organizers planning nationwide protests, urging them to cancel their plans immediately.
According to a statement released by DSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya, the agency has uncovered a scheme by criminal elements to infiltrate the protests and create widespread chaos. The protests are scheduled from August 1 to 10 in response to economic hardships affecting the country.
Afunanya stated, “The DSS has followed the discourse on planned protests in parts of the country in the coming weeks by persons and groups yet to identify themselves in public as leaders of the plot.”
The DSS emphasized that while peaceful protest is a democratic right, there is a confirmed “sinister plan by some elements to infiltrate the protest and use it to cause chaos and extreme violence in the land.” The agency has identified the protests as politically motivated, with an intent to destabilize the government and incite regime change.
“The plotters desire to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments, make them unpopular, and pit them against the masses. The long-term objective is to achieve regime change, especially at the Centre,” Afunanya noted.
The DSS has reportedly tracked the funding and sponsorship behind the protests and has engaged in various non-violent strategies to prevent the unrest, including diplomatic negotiations and moral appeals. Despite these efforts, the service remains vigilant and prepared to act to maintain peace.
Afunanya warned protest organizers and participants against any form of violence, highlighting the importance of maintaining peace and avoiding actions that could lead to the destruction of lives and property.
“The Service urges the prospective protesters to listen to the voice of reason and good conscience and patiently engage with the authorities in the interest of peace,” he said. He stressed that violence distracts from effective governance and urged protesters to seek alternative ways to express their grievances.
In his statement, Afunanya also called on all citizens, including community leaders, industry captains, labor unions, student associations, and religious groups, to reject any form of orchestrated violence. Parents and guardians were specifically advised to prevent their children from participating in the planned protests.
“The Service will work with other sister security and law enforcement agencies to maintain peace. It will, where necessary, apply all legitimate methods to achieve this,” Afunanya concluded.
