Ex-DSS Boss Warns Against #EndBadGovernance Protest, Fears Hijacking

Subheading: Mike Ejiofor, former Director of the Department of State Services, has cautioned against the planned #EndBadGovernance protest, citing concerns that the demonstration may be hijacked by individuals with ulterior motives.

In an interview on Arise TV Morning Show, Ejiofor explained that the 2012 subsidy protest did not turn violent partly because of the body language of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who allowed the protest to go on without interference. However, he noted that the current situation in the country is dire, with widespread hunger and desperation, making it more likely that the protest could be exploited by individuals seeking to cause chaos.

Ejiofor warned that the protest could be hijacked by those who may seize the opportunity to push their personal interests, citing the #EndSARS protest in 2020, which led to destruction of properties and losses incurred by individuals and the nation.

The former DSS boss emphasized that while the right to protest is sacrosanct, the fear of the protest being hijacked remains high. He urged the government to address the nation’s economic hardship and extend its reach to the grassroots, rather than just consulting with interest groups.

In a similar vein, the National Coordinator of the Grassroots Mobilisation Initiative and former spokesperson for the Coalition of Northern Groups, Sama’ila Musa, called for dialogue and urged the presidency to address the people and sympathize with them.

Musa expressed concern that the current cases of rampage and looting of goods of private individuals, particularly in the Northern part of the country, pose a risk of what may become of the protest should it go on. He warned that the situation may degenerate to criminal elements of the protesters “going to start looting people’s properties and vandalising ordinary citizen’s properties, carting away their goods.”

The military and police have also warned against the protest, with the defence spokesman, Major General Edward Buba, stating that the armed forces will not stand by and allow anarchy to befall the nation.

The planned #EndBadGovernance protest is scheduled to take place from August 1 to 10, with the organizers demanding an end to bad governance and economic hardship in the country. However, with the warnings from security agencies and concerns about the potential for hijacking, the future of the protest remains uncertain.