Protest: We Won’t Allow Destruction of Property -Wike

By: Wisdom Acka

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has warned that the FCT Administration would not allow destruction of property by those coming out to protest.

Wike stated this in his office on Thursday evening during a Press Conference held on development of the protest, which began nationwide today.

He said: “We had said before now that we will continue to brief the Press as we monitor the protest of people, who say they are protesting against bad governance and hunger in the country.

“We believe that this is a democratic government and so we must act according to the rule of law. We also believe that those protesting, it is their entitlement so that government can address the issues raised. Obeying the rule of law is obeying Court orders,” he said.

“We are doing quite a lot to change the lives of the people,” Wike added.

Explaining yesterday’s Court order on the protest, Wike stressed: “You are aware of the Court order yesterday. The Court did not stop protests, it only restricted them to the National Stadium.”

His words: “We had come out to say clearly that one of the reasons we appealed against the protest was that we believe some miscreants will hijack the process and cause destruction of property within the FCT.”

“See what happened in some of the states today. Now, look at the loss of lives. If such a thing happens in the FCT, what do you think people would say? Here we have the international community carrying out their businesses”, the Minister reiterated.

He continued: “You saw what happened today where some people tried to move into the Eagle Square. Miscreants may not have succeeded in what they wanted to do but we have intelligence that they are coming out tomorrow to destroy property that will lead to loss of lives.”

“The security agencies will not allow that. Every protester, please, go to the MKO Abiola stadium and do your protest. That is what the Court said”, Wike emphasized.

According to him, a Senator of the Federal Republic has been identified as one of the sponsors of the protest.

“Now we also have intelligence that a Senator had to invite some security agencies to lead some of them to go and provide food for the protesters. That is sponsorship. A Senator providing food for protesters. At the appropriate time, security agencies will invite the Senator and find out how you will be sponsoring this kind of thing against the government of the day”, he added.