The Defend Nigeria Movement (DNM) has joined in warning Nigerians not to consider or wish for the violent anti-government protests that have recently occurred in Nepal. The group cautioned that such actions could destabilize the country and would be actively resisted.
DNM’s Convener, Razaq Olokooba, issued a statement on Friday in Lagos, labeling those advocating for a Nepal-style protest in Lagos as saboteurs and agents of destruction, whom the government must remain vigilant against.
Olokooba emphasized that any attempt to organize similar protests in Nigeria’s commercial capital would be met with resistance from the group. He reminded Lagosians of the senseless destruction of public facilities that followed the #EndSARS protests in 2020, warning that the state has yet to fully recover from the negative impacts of that unrest.
Supporting former presidential aide Reno Omokri’s recent stance against advocating for Nepal-style protests in Lagos, Olokooba urged that the state must be ready to match any act of unrest with deserved punishment, as well as treat perpetrators as traitors.
It will be recalled that the protests in Nepal, which began last Monday in response to a government ban on social media platforms, escalated into a full-fledged anti-government movement, even after the reversal of the ban. At least 31 people were killed, and more than 1,033 others were injured in violent clashes, during which demonstrators set fire to government buildings and lawmakers’ residences.
Olokooba stated: “As a pro-democracy and pro-good governance group, the Defend Nigeria Movement has been closely monitoring the troubling events unfolding in Nepal. We are alarmed to discover that some individuals may wish for such actions to be mirrored here in Lagos.
“We want to strongly caution anyone calling for protests similar to those in Nepal in Lagos or anywhere else in the country. Such thoughts can only stem from someone who passionately dislikes the state or the country.
“Violent protests yield no benefits. While the youth in Nepal may be trying to challenge a repressive system, our circumstances in Lagos and Nigeria as a whole are entirely different. We have made significant progress as a democratic state, and the benefits are evident in Lagos. We must not lose sight of our progress.
“Let us remember the destruction resulting from the #EndSARS protests; the public facilities damaged have not yet been fully restored in Lagos or elsewhere in the nation. It would be utterly foolish and destructive for anyone to consider replicating the chaos that ensued back then.
“Thus, anyone contemplating violent protests akin to those in Nepal or drawing comparisons between our situation in Nigeria and that of Nepal should be regarded as a threat and treated as a traitor. We must guard against saboteurs and acts of sabotage.
“For us at DNM, we are committed to consolidating the democratic gains we are making, particularly in Lagos, and we will not hesitate to oppose anyone who seeks to hinder Nigeria’s progress. We commend Reno Omokri for also voicing a similar warning to Nigerians regarding the needless call for Nepal-style protests, whether in Lagos or elsewhere in the country,” Olokooba concluded.
Olokooba is a prominent figure, having, among many other pro-democracy protests, led the DNM in demanding recognition for the activists and martyrs of June 12. On the 32nd anniversary of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Olokooba highlighted the importance of this date in Nigeria’s democratic journey, symbolizing unity and awareness.
