The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has warned the organisers of the ‘revolution march’ slated for Monday August 5th to shelve their planned protest as anyone arrested during the march will be charged to court for treasonable felony.
In a statement released by the spokesperson of the command, Deputy Commissioner Frank Mba, the police chief said the planned revolution march ”amounts to treasonable felony and acts of terrorism” adding that the force will not stand and watch any individual or group in the society cause anarchy in the land.
This statement comes hours after the organizer of the march, Omoyele Sowore, was arrested by DSS operatives in Lagos in the early hours of today Saturday August 3rd. According to the police, Nigerians to embark on protest but said such rights should not translate into a violent and forceful change of government which clearly is the meaning of ‘revolution’.
Read the Police full statement:
The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a video circulating on the social media by the ‘Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria and others’, inciting Nigerians, home and abroad, to join a planned ‘revolution’ march against the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Monday, 5th August, 2019 with the sole aim of forcing a regime change in the country.
The Force wishes to state unequivocally that the call amounts to treasonable felony and acts of terrorism and will therefore not stand idly-by and watch any individual or group in the society cause anarchy in the land. While acknowledging the rights of Nigerians to embark on protest, the Force wishes to note that such rights should not translate to a violent and forceful change of government which clearly is the meaning of ‘revolution’. Needless to state that Nigeria is a democratic republic and has well-defined processes for change of government, exercised periodically during various cycle of elections.
The Force therefore warns the organizers, sponsors, allies, supporters, associates and sympathizers of the group ‘Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria’ to, in their own interest, steer clear of any such planned protest, demonstration, acts of incitement and proposed “revolution”, as the full wrath of the law will be brought to bear on any individual or group engaged or found participating in the above planned criminal act.
Parents and Guardians are therefore enjoined to impress on their children and wards not to allow themselves to be used in whatever form by any person or group of persons to cause breach of law and order in the country. The Police will work with other Law Enforcement Agencies and positive minded Nigerians to protect, defend and secure our public peace and space.