The Inspector General of Police, IGP Adamu Mohammed has said that a video being circulated all over social media by the ‘Global Coalition for security and Democracy in Nigeria and others’, calling on Nigerians to join a planned ‘revolution’ march against the Federal Government on August the 5th, amounts to treasonable felony.
According to the police boss, the planned action is meant to force a regime change in the country.
In a communique sent out over the weekend, IGP Adamu said that rights should not translate to violence, adding that the force will not watch anyone or group disrupt the nation’s peace.
He said: “The force wishes to state unequivocally that the call amounts to treasonable felony and acts of terrorism and will therefore the force will 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”.
The police boss maintained that Nigeria is a democratic country with well-defined processes for change of government and warns those he describes as the organizers, sponsors, allies, supporters, associates and sympathizers of the ‘Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria’ to steer clear of any such planned protest, and acts of incitement.
The 5th of August has been scheduled as the date of a planned protest by the publisher of online news magazine, Sahara Reporters, Mr Omoyele Sowore and his group, a move which has led to the arrest of Mr Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the February 23rd presidential election.
The Department of State Security Service (DSS) had on Sunday confirmed the arrest, with its spokesman Peter Afunaya stating that the DSS is acting within its constitutional powers to arrest and detain anybody or group who threatens the unity and peaceful co-existence of Nigeria.
Mr Afunaya however, declined to comment whether Mr Sowore is at the DSS office in Lagos or Abuja.
CTV
