By Milcah Tanimu

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has clarified the recent police raid on the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, emphasizing that the operation was not aimed at the NLC leadership but targeted at an individual linked to the Sudan crisis, who is allegedly trying to destabilize Nigeria.

Speaking at a Youth Summit organized by the police in Abuja on Monday, Egbetokun addressed concerns regarding the raid, stating that intelligence reports had identified a man involved in the Sudan conflict, who was using a shop at the Labour House as a front for his activities. The IGP explained that the police had been monitoring this individual, who is now suspected of mobilizing efforts to incite unrest in Nigeria.

Egbetokun also responded to questions about the police’s stance on the ‘EndBadGovernance’ protests. He stressed that while the police are responsible for managing protests, they had received intelligence indicating that certain agents were planning to exploit the hardship protests to destabilize the country. According to the IGP, some of these agents have already fled the country, while others are being actively pursued by law enforcement.

The IGP further drew parallels with the 2020 EndSARS protests, noting that while the demonstrations initially started peacefully, they later turned violent, largely due to the nature of mobilization through social media. He argued that protests organized on social media have the potential to attract a wide range of participants, including those with criminal intentions, thereby increasing the risk of violence.

Egbetokun concluded by reiterating that the police’s actions were driven by a commitment to national security and not opposition to peaceful protests, urging the public to understand the complexities involved in maintaining order during such events.