By Editor
The Police in Abuja have revealed that approximately N9 billion was raised by unnamed groups and individuals to incite mayhem and chaos during the #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria.
Force Public Relations Officer ACP Muyiwa Adejobi made this disclosure at the Civil Space Guard Conference organized by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) in collaboration with the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Abuja.
Adejobi noted that prior to the protests, the police had warned that foreign mercenaries might hijack the demonstrations to create havoc, but many Nigerians did not believe the warning.
“We always receive intelligence. I made a statement on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) that foreign elements would intervene.
“But due to a trust deficit, people often think we are not truthful when we make certain claims.
“While some were genuinely trying to protest and express their grievances to the government, others attempted to exploit the situation for financial gain.
“They indeed raised funds — we are talking about N9 billion.
“I’m sure you were not aware that someone received that money.
“From that protest alone, N9 billion was generated, and the funds were actually distributed to incite chaos in Nigeria.”
It’s important to note that the #EndBadGovernance protests, which took place from August 1 to August 10, 2024, were sparked by the hardships arising from the rising cost of living in the country.
In southern Nigeria, the protests were largely peaceful, but they turned violent in the north, resulting in the destruction of public and private property.
Some protesters in the north later began waving foreign flags, particularly Russian flags, and called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to “intervene.”
