A strong condemnation has been issued by a consortium of civil society organizations, as part of the Nigerian Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Council Worldwide, urging the Federal Government to take decisive action against those who displayed Russian flags during the recent EndBadGovernance protests.
Following a National Emergency Council meeting, the group labeled the sponsors of the Russian flags as “coup plotters” and demanded their prosecution. While acknowledging the arrests made by security agencies of some individuals carrying the flags, they stressed that the true perpetrators have yet to be uncovered.
Highlighting their disapproval of the introduction of criminal activities such as looting and vandalizing private and public properties during the protests, the group expressed appreciation to Nigerian youths for complying with their call to abstain from the demonstrations.
Signed by representatives from different ethnic nationality youth leaders councils, which include Terry Obeih, the President General of the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council, and Oladotun Hassan Esq, the President of the Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide, the statement called for stringent government actions to apprehend, prosecute, and bring to justice those responsible for the seditious act, cautioning that overlooking this would only embolden them to scheme against the nation.
The group demanded the government’s commitment in ensuring the arrest and prosecution of those behind the treasonable act, emphasizing that failure to do so would encourage them to escalate their subversive activities against the country.
“It is evident that although the protests happened in some areas across the country, the situation could have been much worse. Thankfully, the majority of the youth chose to act responsibly and refrained from participating,” the statement read.
“Furthermore, we strongly condemn the infusion of criminal elements into the protest, which became evident through incidents of looting and damaging private and public assets. This was the primary reason we had advocated for the halting of the protests,” stated the group.
Expressing heightened concern over the display of Russian flags at certain protest sites, the group labeled it as an act orchestrated by coup plotters with ill intentions towards the country.
“While some individuals bearing the flags were apprehended by security agencies, it is crucial to recognize that they are not the masterminds but rather victims of circumstances.
“Nevertheless, those in custody should cooperate with security agencies to expose the true instigators of the treasonable act.
“Once identified, the government must ensure their apprehension, prosecution, and subsequent legal actions,” the group iterated.