Protest: Don’t Deploy Soldiers, Deji Adeyanju Tells Army Chief

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Tuesday, July 30th, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Politician and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has called on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, to take away soldiers deployed across the Federal Capital Territory and other cities ahead of the planned hunger protest.

It could be recalled that there have been increased presence of security agents, including military personnel, around the Federal Capital Territory ahead of the planned nationwide protests fixed for August 1 to 10.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Edward Buba, refuted claims that the deployment was meant to intimidate protesters.

He said: “Troops have always been deployed across the country in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. There is nothing new about that (deployment), please.”

Reacting, in a letter addressed to the Chief of Army Staff on Tuesday, Adeyanju disclosed that providing security in the protests is the job of the police.

According to him, the deployment of soldiers for protests in Kenya and during the 2020 #EndSARS movement caused riots.

Adeyanju writes: “We write as a pro-human rights law firm to draw your attention to the disturbing deployment of men of the Nigerian Army across the Federal Capital Territory and other cities to suppress the scheduled August 1, 2024, national protest.

“The task of providing internal security, including the protection of protesters during the scheduled protest, lies with the Nigerian Police Force and not the Nigerian Army.
You may also recall that at all times when the armed forces intervened in any protest, including the recent ongoing Kenya protest, such protests often escalated into full-blown riots leading to loss of lives and property.

“It is on the premise of the foregoing that we urge you to withdraw your men back to the barracks as we do not want a repeat of soldiers killing protesters as was witnessed during EndSARS.”