The Nasarawa State government has said Russian flags were not displayed during the August 1st protest against hunger and bad governance in any part of the state.
It said that, unlike other states, the turnout during the August 1st nationwide protest was low, with minimal violence.
The clarification followed an editorial by an online newspaper which listed Nasarawa among states in the North where Russian flags were displayed during the exercise.
“The attention of the Nasarawa State government has been drawn to an editorial published by an online medium listing Nasarawa as one of the northern states where protesters hoisted the Russian flag during the recent nationwide protest.
“The Nasarawa State government wish to debunk this allegation categorically. The claim that protesters hoisted the Russian flag during the recent protest in the state has no iota of truth. The allegation is false, misleading and mischievous, to say the least.
“It is on record that the nationwide protest recorded low turn-up in the state in the first place since most of the demands canvassed by the protesters had been substantially met by the government of his excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A.
Sule, with the support of the federal government through various palliative schemes, made the majority of the citizens decide to shun the politically motivated protest.
“Also on record is the fact that the few persons, mostly underaged children, who decided to participate in the protest were closely monitored by security agents to ensure law and order and at no point did the protesters hoist the Russian flag in the course of the skeletal protest in some parts of the State,” a statement by the senior special assistant to governor Abdullahi Sule on public affairs, Mr Peter Ahemba stated.
The statement urged members of the public to disregard the false information even as it assured the citizens that the state under Governor Sule remained committed to the unity and sovereignty of Nigeria.
“Be rest assured that the State Government will continue to implement policies and programmes that have a direct bearing on the lives of the people even as we encourage citizens to remain law-abiding and supportive of the Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and Governor Abdullahi A. Sule in the interest of development,” it added.
