The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday said it has identified amongst other things sponsors, collaborators and funding lines for the planned nationwide protests scheduled to commence from August 1.
In a statement signed by Peter Afunaya, Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, the Service states that while peaceful protest is a democratic right of citizens, it has confirmed a sinister plan by some elements to infiltrate the protest and use it to cause chaos and extreme violence in the country.
According to the statement, the Service believes the protest is political in nature, with the plotters hoping to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments, making them unpopular and pitting them against the masses with the long-term goal of achieving regime change, particularly at the centre.
“While peaceful protest is a democratic right of citizens, the Service has confirmed a sinister plan by some elements to infiltrate the protest and use it to cause chaos and extreme violence in the land,” according to the statement.
The Service claims to have discovered the plot’s financial lines, sponsors, and collaborators, and is requesting that parents, guardians, and heads of traditional and academic institutions encourage their children, wards, subjects, and students not to participate in the planned protest.
“In addition, the Service has identified the plot’s funding channels, sponsors, and partners. However, it does not believe that hostility should be the initial course of action in dealing with the emerging circumstance,” the DSS stated.
The statement goes on to say that the Service will collaborate with other sister security and law enforcement agencies to keep the peace and will use all legitimate means to do so.