June 12: Group Cautions Against Planned Protests Targeting Top Government Officials

The Nigeria Renaissance Group (NRG), a pro-democracy civil rights organisation, has raised alarm over an alleged plot to stage coordinated protests aimed at discrediting key officials in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the group claimed that the planned demonstrations do not reflect genuine public discontent but are “deliberate acts of blackmail” designed to undermine national stability.
The NRG spokesperson, Comrade Mohammed Lawal, said, “Our intelligence suggests a well-funded effort to incite unrest and malign respected public figures who are working tirelessly to steer the country in the right direction.”

The group said top government officials, including the attorney general of the federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi; the secretary to the government of the federation, Chief George Akume, Senate President Godswill Akpabio; and the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, are the primary targets of the alleged smear campaign.

“These individuals are not perfect, but they are patriots,” Lawal added. “Dragging their names through the mud for political gain is not just unfair—it’s dangerous for our democracy.”

He also cautioned Nigerian youths against being used as tools in what the group described as a “deceptive mobilisation strategy”.

“Young people must ask themselves who stands to gain from these protests,” he said. “Don’t allow yourselves to be used by those who once benefited from this country but have now turned their backs on it.”

While reaffirming the group’s commitment to democratic freedoms, Lawal clearly distinguished between genuine civic action and politically motivated agitation.

He called on security agencies to be vigilant, and Lawal urged them to ensure that any public gatherings remain peaceful and lawful.

“This is a time for wisdom, not chaos. Let’s choose dialogue over division, and truth over theatrics,” he concluded.