US, UK, CANADA ISSUE SECURITY ALERTS TO CITIZENS IN NIGERIA OVER PLANNED PROTESTS
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The United States, United Kingdom, and Canada have issued security alerts to their citizens in Nigeria, warning of potential violence during the planned nationwide protests.
The development comes on the heels of a planned nationwide protest against hunger and hardship slated to take off from August 1, 2024.
In separate travel advisories, the three countries cautioned their citizens to avoid areas where confrontations between security agencies and protesters might occur.
In its advisory, the US Mission in Abuja urged Americans to avoid the rallies, advising them to steer clear of crowds and demonstrations and stay updated via local media.
The alert highlighted the potential for roadblocks, checkpoints, traffic congestion, and physical confrontations, stating, “According to media reports, nationwide protests may occur in Nigeria between July 29th and August 5th, 2024. Based on past occurrences, protests may involve roadblocks, checkpoints, traffic congestion, and physical confrontations”.
Similarly, the UK High Commission warned that protests could occur between July 29 and August 10 in major cities like Abuja and Lagos. British nationals were advised to exercise caution, avoid large crowds, and stay informed through media reports, noting that previous protests have turned violent with little warning.
The advisory read, “Political rallies, protests, and violent demonstrations can take place with little notice. Get advice on areas to avoid. Take care if you’re visiting crowded public places or attending events which attract large crowds. If you see a threatening or intimidating situation, do not try to make your way through it. Turn around and move to safety”.
The Canadian government also alerted its citizens about the demonstrations, cautioning them to expect disruptions in traffic and public transportation and warning that protests could become violent unexpectedly. They advised vigilance, adherence to local authorities’ instructions, and continuous monitoring of local media for updates.
The advisory noted, “Nationwide demonstrations are planned between July 29 to August 5, 2024. They could disrupt traffic and public transportation and could turn violent at any time.”
These advisories reflect heightened concerns over the planned nationwide protests and their potential impact on safety and security in Nigeria.
This is as one of the arrowheads of the planned #EndBadGovernance protest, said the Eagle Square in Abuja is a public property and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has no choice but to allow “hungry Nigerian youths” demonstrate their displeasure on the facility.
Damilare Adenola, the Director of Mobilisation of Take It Back Movement, a non-governmental organisation, stated this on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.
The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states of the Federation as well as the FCT in August.
Prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.
The youth leader had signed a letter addressed to the minister seeking the use of the facility. The letter was dated July 26, 2024, and was broadcast on social media platforms.
However, the FCT minister said on Saturday that he had not received the letter.
Adenola, on Sunday, blamed the delay in the delivery of the letter on bureaucratic bottlenecks in government but said the minister would get the letter unfailingly on Monday ahead of the demonstration starting Thursday.
The protest mobiliser said, “It is possible that the receipt of the letter is being delayed by most likely bureaucracy in government or the minister is likely being insincere about receiving the letter.
“If he (Wike) insists that he hasn’t received it, the alternative is that he was served by publication because many Nigerian ministries streamline what to receive or not. If he says he didn’t get it physically, then we could as well say that he was served by publication. If he says he wants it by Monday, we will serve him.”
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