August 06, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has placed some Nigerians abroad, responsible for the violent protests in the country, on its watch list.
Comptroller-General of the Service, Kemi Nandap, who disclosed this on Tuesday, said efforts are ongoing to profile immigrants coming in and out of the country to ensure the security of citizens.
Earlier on Tuesday, THEWILL reported that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, met with heads of various security and intelligence agencies.
In attendance at the meeting were Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force, the Inspector General of Police, the Comptroller-General of Customs, the Directors-General of the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency, the Chief of Defence Intelligence, the Controller General of Corrections, Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Comptroller-General of the NIS.
The meeting provides an update on the ongoing nationwide protests against hunger and economic hardship in the country which turned violent with some demonstrators calling for regime change in some parts of the country.
Speaking during a joint press briefing at the Defence Headquarters, Nandap said the sponsors of the protests who are in the diaspora, would be apprehended immediately if they set foot on Nigerian soil.
“We have diaspora sponsors, they are on our watchlist. They are watchlisted, any attempt they make to come into the country, we’ll be notified and they will be picked up and handed to the appropriate authority”, she said, that their accounts have been blocked, with officers deployed to borders both land and airports to ensure effective manning of those entry and exit points in response to the ongoing protest.
Nandap disclosed that the Service has also stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who confirmed the position of the NIS, said security agencies have identified and blocked sources of external funding for the protests.
Egbetokun however said the police were careful in managing the crisis and did not deploy water cannons or rubber bullets, emphasising that “Nobody fired gunshots and we didn’t use force. Amid the protest, we arrested criminals who stole and committed other offences.”
On his part, the CDS, General Musa, said, “The only people we are after are the enemies of the state who should be ready to face the law. We will not relent in pursuing those who continue to encourage subversions. We remain professional and the men on the field will remain professional as well.”
This is as the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, said before the protest, that the Nigerian Army had deployed troops due to security challenges across Nigeria. He assured that the army stands firm in support of Nigerian democracy, peace and harmony and will not shift ground on that.
Lagbaja, who appealed to youths to desist from violence, said “The Nigerian Army will not watch the country slide into anarchy. We will continue to partner with other security agencies in maintaining peace and stability.”
Peter Afunanya, Spokesperson of the DSS, who represented Director-General of the Service, Yusuf Bichi, told newsmen that some sponsors of the foreign flags protest have been arrested. He urged Nigerians to be patient, as their identities would soon be disclosed.
