ABUJA — Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun announced yesterday that the police have arrested several individuals identified as the true sponsors of the recent riots in various states, including Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara. These rioters had hoisted foreign flags and demanded a change of government.
The IGP’s announcement coincided with a statement from the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, who revealed that the individuals sponsoring the foreign flags lived abroad.
During the same briefing, service chiefs, including Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa and Chief of Army Staff Lt General Taoreed Lagbaja, warned that the military would not allow the country to descend into chaos.
Meanwhile, protests continued in Port Harcourt, with demonstrators marching to the private residence of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and blocking major roads, including the East-West road. In contrast, Kano and Kaduna saw a reduction in tensions due to modifications to curfews imposed by the state governments. Both Abuja and Lagos remained calm.
The IGP further disclosed that the police had identified and blocked the funding sources of those inciting violence, both domestically and internationally. At a joint media briefing at Defence Headquarters in Abuja, IGP Egbetokun emphasized the careful handling of the crisis by law enforcement, which involved using only teargas and avoiding water cannons, live ammunition, or rubber bullets.
He also clarified that the reported shooting of a protester in Kubwa, Abuja, was the work of armed robbers or hoodlums, not police officers. “Since August 1, no gunshots have been fired by police, and we have not used force on peaceful protesters. We have provided security for them and arrested several armed robbers and criminals during the protests,” Egbetokun said.
Kano State Commissioner of Police Salman Garba confirmed the arrest of six Spanish nationals in connection with the protests. In a phone interview with Vanguard, CP Garba stated that his command had also detained 76 other individuals, including a tailor who was sewing Russian flags. “We have arrested six Spanish nationals and 76 others, including the tailor. We recovered 23 Russian flags and are currently tracking the main sponsor. They have been transferred to Force Headquarters as this involves sedition and national security,” he explained.
