By Olusegun Olanrewaju
With barely 24 hours to the nationwide protests against hardship and hunger, the Federal Government yesterday declared all its 256 custodial centres across the country as “red zones”, whose sanctity must not be violated under any guise.
Controller General of Corrections (CGC), Haliru Nababa, gave the warning in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja.
The statement issued on his behalf by Service Spokesman, ACC Abubakar Umar, read, “Given the purported national protest scheduled to be held on the first day of August 2024, the Nigerian Correctional Service wishes to inform the public that the Custodial Centres have been designated as red zones; therefore, any person or group of persons who have no business whatsoever, should steer clear.
“Furthermore, the Service wishes to enjoin the public that Custodial and Non-custodial Centres are critical national assets that are germane to public safety as well as national security.
“Tampering with or attacking them will lead to breakdown of law and order, and further exacerbate the security of the society in general.
“The Service strongly advises all members of the public to join hands with the Service to ensure the protection of correctional facilities. Adequate security arrangements have been put in place to ensure that no correctional facility is defiled.
“The Ministry of Interior Joint Taskforce (MOIJTF) has been activated to provide extra security in and around custodial facilities nationwide.
“The Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa FICMC, MFR, mni, appreciates the continuous cooperation of members of the public in ensuring peace and tranquillity in and around correctional centres nationwide. The public is also advised to report any suspicious plan or movement to our email: [email protected]
Organisers reject IGP’s proposal for confined protests, insist on street processions
Organisers of the planned #EndBadGovernance nationwide demonstrations slated for August have rejected the proposal by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun for confined protests.
At a meeting with the organisers yesterday, the IGP suggested confined protests in identified locations and advised against street rallies.
“It is not advisable to go on street processions because as you are planning peaceful protests, some are planning violence,” Egbetokun cautioned.
However, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), one of the lawyers for the Take It Back Movement, one of the groups organising the nationwide protests, rejected the proposal of the IGP.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), other lawyers, civil society organisations as well as some arrowheads of the planned protests attended the virtual meeting.
