Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has revealed that several key figures suspected of sponsoring the rioters who hijacked a planned peaceful protest against bad governance and hunger had left the country before authorities could apprehend them.
According to IGP Egbetokun, the police had received intelligence reports indicating that certain individuals were intent on using the protest to destabilize the nation. “Before the protest, we had intelligence that some agents of destabilization were bent on using the protest to destabilize the country. Some of them were already out of the country. Some of them moved out that very day the protest kicked off,” he explained.
Addressing the concerns raised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) regarding a police raid on a shop at Labour House, Egbetokun dismissed the uproar as unnecessary. “There was no need for the noise about the alleged raid on Labour House because we did not raid Labour House. We tracked a prime suspect we were looking for,” he stated. The IGP further disclosed that during the operation, sensitive documents implicating the suspect were recovered, revealing the use of the shop as a front for illegal activities.
Speaking at the Nigerian Police Youth Summit held at the Police Resource Centre in Abuja, Egbetokun reiterated the police’s opposition to the protest, citing its label as “10 days of rage” as an indication that it was never intended to be peaceful. “When you tag the protest ‘10 days of rage,’ you know it is not going to be peaceful, and you all saw it for yourselves,” he added.
The IGP emphasized that if the organizers had been genuine in their intentions, they would have adhered to police warnings and followed proper guidelines by consulting with the Commissioner of Police in their state, ensuring the safety of participants.
Egbetokun also condemned the practice of inciting violence against the Igbo community during protests, urging people to report such incidents to the nearest police or security authorities. He noted, “It may be true in a few places, but the majority of Nigerians have never engaged in such actions. We have lived together for years and bonded together.”
The IGP highlighted that the purpose of the youth summit was to engage with Nigerian youths sincerely on various challenges, including economic and security issues, and to seek viable solutions.
Professor Lanrewaju Fagboun, former Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, delivered the keynote address at the summit. He identified economic challenges and a growing mistrust between security agencies and the youth as key factors driving discontent among young people. Professor Fagboun urged leaders at all levels to avoid flaunting their wealth in the face of widespread poverty and unemployment, noting that traditional African society must adapt to changing dynamics.
Furthermore, Professor Fagboun pointed to the failure of the country’s justice system and the lack of consequences for those who commit crimes. He expressed hope in President Tinubu’s efforts to reform the judiciary but emphasized the need for the judiciary to undergo self-reflection and internal reform.
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