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Nigerian Police Arrest Sponsors of Rioters including 6 Spaniards
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced yesterday, “We’ve arrested real sponsors of rioters carrying foreign flags, calling for a change of government,”
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced yesterday that the police have apprehended individuals suspected of sponsoring rioters who displayed foreign flags and called for a change of government in various states, including Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara.
“We’ve arrested real sponsors of rioters carrying foreign flags, calling for a change of government,” IGP Egbetokun said.
Immigration Service Identifies Foreign Sponsors
The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, revealed that sponsors of the foreign flags have been identified as living abroad.
Service chiefs, including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, warned that the military will not stand idly by and watch the country descend into anarchy.
Protests in Port Harcourt intensified, with demonstrators marching to the private residence of Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and blocking major roads.
However, there was a thaw in Kano, where the state government modified its dusk-to-dawn curfew between 6 am and 6 pm, and Kaduna, where the curfew imposed by the state government brought about a lull in the city. Abuja and Lagos were also calm yesterday.
IGP Egbetokun also disclosed that funders of the violence and subversion, both within and outside the country, had been tracked, with their accounts blocked and sources of funding stopped.
“Since August 1, nobody has fired gunshots and we didn’t use force on innocent protesters. We only provided security for them. Even amid the protest, we have arrested several armed robbers, and criminal elements who stole and committed other offences,” he said.
6 Spaniards arrested, 76 others in Kano, trail sponsors
Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Garba, announced the arrest of six Spanish nationals and 76 others in connection with the protest.
“We have arrested six Spanish nationals and 76 others, including the tailor. We recovered 23 Russian flags, we are trailing the sponsor. They have been transferred to Force Headquarters because it has to do with sedition and national security,” CP Garba stated.
Immigration places sponsors of protest on the watchlist
The Nigerian Immigration Service has placed diaspora sponsors of rioters on its watchlist. “We have diaspora sponsors, they are on our watchlist. They are watchlisted, any attempt they make to come into the country, we’ll be notified and they will be picked up and handed to the appropriate authorities,” said Comptroller-General Nandap.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa, emphasized the commitment of security agencies to maintaining peace and stability.
“The only people we are after are the enemy of the state who should be ready to face the law. We will not relent in pursuing those who continue to encourage subversion. We will remain professional and our men on the fields will remain professional as well,” he said.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Lagbaja, advised youths to desist from violence and assured them that the Nigerian Army would protect Nigeria’s democracy, peace, and harmony. “We will continue to partner with other security agencies in maintaining peace and stability,” he added.
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