A coalition of civil society organizations, led by the Nigerian Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Council Worldwide, has called on the Federal Government to take decisive action against those responsible for displaying Russian flags during the recent EndBadGovernance protests.
In a statement released after a National Emergency Council meeting on Monday, the group condemned the act of displaying Russian flags as a treasonable offense and labeled the perpetrators as “coupists.” They praised security agencies for arresting some individuals carrying the flags but stressed that the primary instigators have yet to be identified.
The coalition also denounced the introduction of criminal elements into the protests, including looting and the destruction of private and national assets. They expressed appreciation to Nigerian youths who chose to stay away from the protests, heeding calls for restraint.
The statement was issued by representatives from various ethnic nationality youth leaders, including Terry Obeih, President General of the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council, and Oladotun Hassan Esq, President of the Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide.
The group urged the government to ensure that those behind the treasonable act are arrested, prosecuted, and held accountable. They warned that failure to act would embolden the culprits and encourage further attempts to destabilize the country.
“It is our clear observation that while protests continued in some areas, the situation could have been more severe. However, the majority of youths listened to the call for peace and stayed away,” the statement read.
The coalition criticized the criminal activities associated with the protests, including looting and vandalism, and reiterated their earlier calls for the protest to be aborted. They expressed particular concern over the display of Russian flags, describing it as a deliberate act by those seeking to undermine Nigeria’s stability.
“Even though some individuals bearing the flags have been arrested, they are not the real masterminds. It is crucial that those responsible for this treasonable act are identified and brought to justice,” the group emphasized.
The statement concluded with a call for the arrested individuals to cooperate with security agencies to expose the true orchestrators of the act and for the government to take swift action to address the situation.
