Wike Tells Protesters To Use Stadium, Reveals Senator Sponsoring Protest

Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike has appealed to protesters to confine themselves within the Moshood Abiola Stadium for the protest henceforth.

Wike who made the appeal while briefing newsmen after an emergency security meeting to evaluate the aftermath of the first day of the ongoing nation wide protest in Abuja, said one of the people behind the sponsorship of the protest has been unraveled.

He warned that the FCTA and security agencies in the territory will not allow destruction of government property, hence the need for those protesting to do so strictly within the venue approved by the court, to guard against street protest that could easily be hijacked by miscreants to cause mayhem in the territory.

Wike noted that the protest though a democratic right of the citizens, must be carried out within the armbit of the law, pointing out that the court has ordered that the protesters must be confined to a particular area, which is the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

He further explained that the Government was not out to stop the protest, but rather asking for a little more time for the Administration of President Tinubu to address some of the challenges confronting the citizens.

“Every protester, please go to Moshood Abiola Stadium and do your protest there. If you want us to live in a democratic and civil society, you must also obey Court order.

“We have stated categorically, that we are not stopping protest, but we are only appealing to Nigerians to give Government some time so that these issues will be resolved”.

“We have come out to appeal to you clearly that one of the reasons Government is appealing to you not to carry out this protest is that, we believe that some miscreants will take advantage and cause mayhem and cause destruction of Government property within the FCT”, Wike said.

The FCT Minister who expressed regrets that the protest took violent dimensions in some States of the federation like kano, Kaduna and Bauchi, condemned the action of some protesters who attempted to force themselves into the eagle square, against the Court order.

“And if not for the efforts of the security agencies, we don’t know what would have happened. See what has happened today in Kano, Kaduna and Bauchi”.

“Now, look at the loss of lives in Kaduna. If such a thing happened in FCT, what will people say? “Wike questioned.

Wike therefore urged those allegedly planning to destroy property under the guise of the protest, to have a rethink, as the security agencies would not allow that to happen in the nation’s Capital, Abuja.

The FCT Minister also revealed that intelligence gathering has unraveled the fact that a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is among those sponsoring the protest against the Government of the day.

He however said, the security agencies will invite the Senator for further investigation .

“Now, we also have intelligence that a senator had to invite some security agencies to lead some of them to go and provide food for the protesters. That is sponsorship. A senator providing food for protesters. At the appropriate time security agencies will invite the senator and find out why he sponsored the protest against the government of the day” ,Wike said.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji