Lawrence Olaoye 
As the nationwide hunger and bad governance protests entered the fifth day yesterday, President Bola Tinubu yesterday convened National Security Council (NSC) meeting at the Presidential Villa.
The meeting attended by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, Chief of Staff to the President (CoS) Femi Gbajabiamila, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu also had all the service chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Christopher Musa in attendance. Briefing newsmen after the meeting the CDS said: “We wanted to brief Mr President on the situation on ground.
Initially, when the riot started they said it was a peaceful riot but we have realised that there are individuals that are willing to take advantage of it to cause mayhem. And we can see clearly what has happened since it has commenced. Criminals have taken over, a lot of looting taking place, stealing and all sorts happening.
“And besides, all of us have seen it where foreign flags have been flown within the sovereignty of Nigeria, and that is totally unacceptable.
We are warning in clear terms and the President has also said we should convey this, that we will not accept anybody, any individual flying any foreign flag in Nigeria.
That is treasonable offence, and it will be viewed and treated as such. “Also the issue of coups, Nigeria is a sovereign nation. Nigeria is a democratic nation; all security agencies are here to defend democracy and ensure that democracy continues to thrive.
We will not accept anyone pushing or taking any action, seemingly or for whatever reason to want to push for any change of government. “We’ve said clearly that the military is going to step in when it is out of hand and you can see that for people supervising elements to push individuals to carry Russian flags in Nigeria, a sovereignty; that is crossing the red line and we will not accept that.
And those ones who have done that will go in for the books and they would have to be prosecuted. “The President is clear on his instructions for us not to accept anyone that wants to disrupt the peace and tranquility of Nigeria.
And we are all standing here together to show Nigerians that we’re working closely; we are working together with synergy to ensure that there’s still peace and tranquility in Nigeria.
That we have assured Mr President.” Asked to clear the air on insinuations that some soldiers partook in the looting spree in Kano, he said “No. I think it has been cleared; I think it was also a misconception. They actually have seen those things and they wanted to clear them away from that area and that’s what was done.
We have investigated thoroughly, the Chief of Army Staff is here; we have investigated thoroughly and there is nothing like such. No member of the Armed Forces fell into doing that.”
