Protest: NSCDC Places Formations On Red Alert

In response to the #EndBadGovernance# protests which turned violent nationwide, the commandant-general,  Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Dr Abubakar Ahmed Audi, has placed all its zonal commanders, heads of formations and state commandants on red alert.

The signal was contained in a statement by the corps national spokesperson, CSC Babawale Afolabi, yesterday.

Audi , who expressed shock that critical national assets in the country were razed by rampaging rioters, lamented that events in major cities on Thursday were purely “mass uprising and looting, not protests”.

The commandant-general, while warning against the Kenya-style protests, added that the protest if not called off, it might end up like the EndSARS demonstrations of October 2020. He again, appealed on the organisers and youths to shelve their anger and embrace dialogue.

The statement said the NSCDC boss who personally led a team of operatives to monitor the protests Thursday  night in Abuja, expressed concern that despite the initial warnings of the security agencies, hoodlums still  took over the demonstrations.

While calling on miscreants who even attempted to take over government houses after the widespread  looting of public and private warehouses and facilities without provocation to desist from such moves, said  the corps was fully prepared to respond swiftly and decisively on public safety and order.

He said, “Worse is that majority of the agitators and organisers of the protests were apparently absent, allowing unscrupulous elements to carry out their sinister intentions.

“It is very lamentable that there were incidents of fierce attacks on security operatives and wanton destruction of property in Kaduna, Kano, Yobe, Gombe, and many other states. Officers and men were injured, and an NSCDC operational vehicle was set ablaze in Katsina,” he added.