As the upcoming nationwide ‘Day of Rage’ protest draws down, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, has directed all commands and formations to ensure that protest does not take place between August 1st and 10th in their jurisdictions.
The IGP had, after a meeting with all the Assistant Inspector-Generals of Police, Commissioners and heads of various tactics units, directed all divisions of Police officers to carry a midnight raid on vulcanizers’ shops and seize all unused tyres.
This the police authorities said was to ensure that protesters does not use the tyres to make burn fire on the highways and important places.
However, in another leaked wireless message obtained on Thursday, which the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State sent to all Divisions, departments, tactical units and formations, urged operatives to ensure that no protest took place in their locations.
According to the message, commanders were ordered to be proactive, mobilize well kitted and equipped personnel and synergies with other sister agencies and the military to take over all strategic points in their area operational responsibility.
IGP also directed that all the various units should deploy undercover for intelligence gathering, disperse unlawful gathering and be in heart-to-heart conversation with community stakeholders.
They were directed to ensure that no form of protests must be allowed during the period of August 1st to 10th, even as they were ordered that all personnel should be on duty and repel any form of attack on police stations.
The leaked wireless message from Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State to All Units, Departments, Formations – DTO:181016/07/2024 with Ref- CB:4001/EKS/SHQ/VOL.27A/391, reads:
“Order and Directives following message received from NIGPOL DOPS Abuja, is here under relayed, begins
CB:4001/FDPS/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/25 DTO:081000/07/2024 X Order and Directives, nationwide protest #EndBadGovernmentIn Nigeria 2024. Information reaching mine reveals that some unidentified groups are mobilising for mass protest nationwide from 1st to 10th August 2024.
“Find attached handbill for details of their movement. INGENPOL Directs, you be proactive, mobilise well kitted and equipped personnel yours. Synergies with other sister agencies and the military to take over all strategic points in your Area of Operational Responsibility (AOR). Deploy undercover for intelligence gathering, disperse unlawful gathering, be in heart-to-heart conversation with community stakeholders, no form of protests must be allowed during the period.
“All personnel yours to be on duty and repel any form of attack. Incidents of protests/attacks on police will not be tolerated. Electricity generation, transmission and distribution companies, water corporations and other critical national infrastructure must be protected from disruption and destruction.
“You are to liaise with the directors of such companies or infrastructures x to ensure there is enough men on standby in all command headquarters for immediate deployment x ensure rendition of SITREP mine on regular interval. Dress code from 31/07/2024 is camouflage until stand-down order is given. Deployment should be before 1700hrs of 31/07/2024. Treat as very important please. COMPOL directs, you comply as directed and make this a subject of lecture yours please.”
