The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has warned Nigerians against participating in any protests similar to those in Kenya.
Last month, young people in Kenya protested policies they considered harmful, leading to reforms including changes in the cabinet.
Some groups in Nigeria are planning protests under the theme #EndBadGovernance, a move that has generated controversies.
Speaking at a meeting with top police officers on Tuesday, Egbetokun advised against these protests, stating that the police would not tolerate violence. He cited the trauma from the previous #EndSARS protests as a reason for their strict stance.
“Our position is that the proposed violent protests are ill-advised and should be jettisoned fortuitously. We have the responsibility to protect properties and everyone, irrespective of their race, colour, ethnicity, or tribe, who are lawfully embarking on their daily activities.
“We will, therefore, not sit back and fold our arms to watch violent activities unleash violence on our peaceful communities or destroy any of our national critical infrastructure and assets again.”
Egbetokun stated that while peaceful protests are a constitutional right, the police would not allow them to turn violent or disrupt public order.
He mentioned that many protest organisers are not living in Nigeria and are inciting trouble from abroad.
The police chief noted that the #EndSARS protests led to destruction and loss of life, which the country has not yet recovered from.
“Before concluding this address, it is important I address an issue of urgent national importance which appears to have gained some momentum, particularly on social media, in the past few weeks.
“Some groups of people, self-appointed crusaders and influencers, have been strategising and mobilising potential protesters to unleash terror in the land under the guise of replicating the recent Kenya protests.
“While the force acknowledges the right to peaceful protest as enshrined in our constitution, we must ensure that these protests do not snowball into violence or disorder.
“As a nation, we have had more than our fair share of violent protests, with rather dastardly consequences. The last #EndSARS protest led to one-tenth destruction of public assets, including police stations, courts, and transport infrastructure, and the loss of several lives.
“Tales of sorrow, tears, and blood followed what was supposedly intended to be a well-intentioned exercise. Rather than lead to any positive outcome, EndSars merely aggravated crime rates and insecurity in several parts of the country.
“Indeed, we are yet to fully recover from the huge economic losses and deep-seated psychological and emotional trauma inflicted upon our people by these protests.”
He assured that measures are in place to prevent any attempts at violence and warned that anyone attempting to disguise themselves as protesters to cause trouble would be arrested.
