Security agencies have identified senator sponsoring protest – Wike

Security agencies have identified senator sponsoring protest – Wike

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says security agencies have identified a senator who sponsored protests in the nation’s capital.

On Thursday, a youth-led nationwide protest against the rising cost of living kicked off.

Speaking after a security council meeting in Abuja, Wike said the unnamed senator provided food for the protesters. “We also have information that a senator had to invite some security agencies to lead some of them to go and provide food for the protesters,” the minister said.

“That is sponsorship. A senator is providing food for protesters. “At the appropriate time, security agencies will invite the senator and find out how you will be sponsoring this kind of thing against the government of the day.” Wike said there is intelligence suggesting that protesters want to destroy public property on Friday. “You saw what happened today where some people tried to move into Eagle Square,” he said. “Miscreants may not have succeeded in what they wanted to do, but we have intelligence that they are coming out tomorrow to destroy property that will lead to loss of lives.

“The security agencies will not allow that. Every protester, please, go to the MKO Abiola stadium and do your protest. That is what the court said. “See what happened in some of the states today. Now, look at the loss of lives.

If such a thing happens in the FCT, what do you think people would say? Here we have the international community carrying out their businesses.” The protest is expected to continue on Friday.

“We’ll also brief them on certain things they do not know so that they will be well informed to make informed decisions,” the minister said.

Describing Abuja as the nation’s “centre of unity,” Wike said, “Abuja is for everybody; if we lose Abuja, we have lost Nigeria. That is why we have always said, let us work together. There is nothing we can’t achieve under the current administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“Give him time, and a lot of things will change.”

Speaking to the coronated chiefs, the minister said traditional rulers had a lot of roles to play, adding that they were the closest to the grassroots and interface more with the people.

He said: “You are the one who knows what the people feel at home; you are the one who will tell us whether the government is making any impact or not.

“You will convey to your subjects what the government is doing and what the government is about to do; you are the one to sell government policies and programmes to your people.

“If you convey a wrong message, that is what the people will accept. If you convey the right message, that is what the people will accept. So, you play a very pivotal role,” he said.