In response to the escalating violence and looting during the #EndBadGovernance protests, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa has vowed that the military will take action against those engaging in destruction.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Nigeria, General Musa described the level of destruction seen on the first day of the protests as “crazy” and emphasized that the Armed Forces will not tolerate such behavior.
General Musa stated, “The level of destruction witnessed was unimaginable. Just yesterday, we saw people breaking down houses and stealing windows and doors. It was just crazy, and we don’t want that to happen again. The Armed Forces and the entire security agencies will not stand by and see that continue. We want to warn those that are recalcitrant; those that don’t want to listen, that we will not fold our arms and allow this country to be destroyed.”
He urged Nigerians to understand that the economic crisis affecting the country is part of a global phenomenon and requested patience with the Bola Tinubu administration’s efforts to address these issues. “We want to call on all Nigerians to understand the government. If you have grievances, which I know people have, a lot of challenges here and there, and it is not only in Nigeria alone; everywhere in the world is facing one economic or security crisis or the other. And so, it is important to understand that we are not alone,” General Musa said.
The protests, which began on August 1, 2024, have seen significant unrest across the country, with incidents of looting and property destruction. In response, several states, including Kano and Yobe, have imposed curfews in affected areas. The protests, driven by frustration over high living costs and economic hardship, are set to continue until August 10, 2024.
General Musa warned, “The military is on standby and we are watching day and night. Unless the situation breaches beyond what the police can handle, then the military will step in.”
He also noted that efforts are underway to identify and address individuals sponsoring the looting. “We are going behind to ensure that we also identify those that are involved; there are individuals who are sponsoring them, pushing them to do this, we are going after them,” he said.
General Musa appealed to the media to avoid giving undue attention to those seeking notoriety through the chaos. “We know we are challenged as a nation but we know we will overcome working together as Nigerians… Let us avoid anything that will bring mayhem to our country,” he added.
