…freezes bank accounts
…economy worsens as more states impose curfew
Following a strategic meeting convened by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, to implement the crackdown order given by President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Government has placed sponsors of the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests on a watchlist.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Services, NIS, Kemi Nandap, made this known at Defence Headquarters on Tuesday in Abuja after the meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff.
Nandap said the persons, who are in the Diaspora, would be arrested immediately they step into the country.
“We have Diaspora sponsors, they are on our watchlist. They are watchlisted, any attempt they make to come into the country, we’ll be notified and they will be picked up and handed to the appropriate authority,” Nandap told journalists.
According to her, the Immigration Service has, in response to the protests, deployed more officers to land borders and airports to ensure effective manning of the country’s entry and exit points.
She stressed that the agency has also stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country.
On his part, the Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi, said the agency had unmasked some sponsors. But he declined giving further information.
Bichi, represented at the meeting by the DSS’ spokesman, Peter Afunanya, said some bank accounts had already been blocked.
He added that some of the persons operating the accounts are staying abroad and they were being monitored.
Strikingly, as the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests that began on Thursday, August 1 enter day six, Nigeria and its economy are faced with extreme challenges, just as security red alerts spread to states, especially the North West of Nigeria.
Notably, the Nigeria Police Force and Government authorities have reported the spread of property destruction, and shop looting in Kaduna, Plateau, and Bauchi as hoodlums hijacked the protests to wreak havoc.
This is also as rioters were arrested in Abuja and some other parts of the North with Russian flags.
A similar incident happened in Kano State, and the police said they have arrested the tailor responsible for the mass production of the flag.
Remarkably, the Russian Embassy in Nigeria has denied involvement in the display of its flag by protesters in Nigeria.
While the motive remains unclear, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa had said displaying Russian flags in Nigeria was treasonable and vowed to crack down on culprits.
The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, has warned that it is implicating to be seen with flags of other countries while on protest.
Egbetokun also warned Nigerian youths to desist from accepting foreign flags from agents of destabilization.
He stated this during a press briefing on national security on Tuesday amid nationwide protests against economic hardship in the country.
The police boss said some suspects have been arrested over the Russian flag saga, adding that they will be dealt with accordingly.
“We still have in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Bauchi states, a group of people who started subversive campaign, waving flags of other countries, and openly calling for military takeover of government.
“This is not a protest but an offense of treason. The Nigeria Police have arrested a number of them and they will be dealt with accordingly. They will be given the appropriate charges.
“I want to use this opportunity to warn our youth to desist from accepting foreign flags from agents of destabilization.
“It’s very very implicating for them to be seen with flags of other countries while on protest.”
The continued escalation of violence on Tuesday, Day 5 of protests, tagged #endbadgovernance, had resulted in Bauchi, Kaduna, and Plateau states recently announcing 24-hour curfews.
Earlier, Borno, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and Zamfara states declared a 24-hour curfew in affected areas to contain looming anarchy.
Curfew declarations in states have further worsened the woes of the nation’s economy.
With the economy already declining, the declaration of curfew in states pushes the country’s economy to near collapse.
The Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, ASBON, said an estimated N600 billion has been lost in the last five days.
The Centre for the Private of Private Centre had earlier said the country risks losing N400 billion daily to the protests.
The continued reports of violent rioting and the dissemination of fear in the generality of Nigeria leave more than expected in the minds of investors.
Outside the loss of lives and looting of shops and properties, investors at the Nigeria Exchange Limited lost N92 billion at the end of the trading session on Monday.
The same goes for Nigeria Eurobond. There was a massive sell-off at the dollar-dominated bond amid the protests and uncertainties.
This comes despite a call by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his Sunday broadcast for the protests’ suspension to dialogue with the government.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Muda Yusuf, said the earlier the protests are called off, the better for Nigeria’s economy.
According to him, a prolonged demonstration will lead to more degeneration of the country’s economy because it would continue to slow the momentum of economic activities.
On his part, Dr. Uju Ogunbunka, the President of the Bank Customers’ Association of Nigeria, said the private establishments and the people were worst hit by the protests.
According to him, in most cases, business and core economic activities have stagnated in the past few days owing to the protests.
