Senator sponsoring nationwide protests, says Wike

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has announced that security agencies have identified a senator involved in supporting anti-government protests within the territory.

This revelation came after an emergency FCT Security Council meeting held Thursday night in Abuja.

Wike stated that the senator had allegedly arranged for a truckload of food to be delivered to the protesters, with the assistance of some security operatives.

Wike emphasized that while protests are a democratic right, they must adhere to court orders, specifically the directive that limits protest activities to the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

“We had said before now that we will continue to brief the press as we monitor the protest of people who say they are protesting against bad governance and hunger in the country,” Wike stated. “We believe that this is a democratic government and so we must act according to the rule of law. We also believe that protesting is their entitlement so that government can address the issues raised. Obeying the rule of law is obeying court orders.”

Wike further explained that the government is actively working to improve the lives of citizens. He noted the recent court order, which does not ban protests but restricts them to the National Stadium, and expressed concerns about potential violence and property damage if protests were allowed to spread uncontrolled across the city.

Referring to incidents in other states, Wike warned of the risks of miscreants hijacking peaceful protests, leading to property destruction and loss of lives. He urged all protesters to confine their activities to the designated area, as mandated by the court.

Wike also highlighted intelligence reports indicating that a senator had arranged for security agencies to escort food supplies to the protesters, which he described as a form of sponsorship. He indicated that relevant security agencies would soon summon the senator for questioning regarding this matter.

“At the appropriate time, security agencies will invite the senator and find out how you will be sponsoring this kind of thing against the government of the day,” Wike concluded.