THE Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has directed his men across the country to “deal decisively” with arsonists and troublemakers as youths stage #EndBadGovernance protests against hunger and economic hardship across the Federation starting on Thursday, August 1, 2024.
In a statement he personally signed on the eve of the nationwide protests, the police boss said the organisers of the planned demonstrations failed to furnish the police with the details of the protests including the names of intending participants, routes of rallies, among others.
The IGP said “the name given to the movement — ‘Take It Back Movement’ has far-reaching undemocratic, unconstitutional and illegal connotations”.
He said intelligence revealed that the protests are aimed at unleashing mayhem on the polity and innocent citizens.
Egbetokun said the police won’t fold their arms and watch a degeneration of the situation into a “state of anomy”.
He put all police formations across the country on alert to protect innocent lives and properties from attack and destruction.
“All officers and men of the Nigeria Police are hereby directed to act and deal decisively with any act of arson, intimidation or harassment of any citizen, threat to lives and properties, breach of peace and any act of criminality that may arise or flow from the planned protest in any part of the country.
“Perpetrators of any crime will be arersted and promptly prosecuted,” he said.