The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, emphasized Nigeria’s firm stance against foreign interference in its domestic affairs during a briefing with the diplomatic corps on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to The PUNCH, Tuggar also stressed the significance of maintaining strong international relations.
The nationwide #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria protest, which began on Thursday, August 1, was sparked by widespread hardship among citizens.
The protests led to major highway blockages and escalated into violence in various cities, including Lagos, Kano, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, Niger, Kebbi, Abuja, and other northern towns. Some instances of violence were triggered by security forces, while others were fueled by either aggressive protesters or counter-protesters.
Recent media reports and footage revealed that some EndBadGovernance protesters were seen carrying Russian flags.
In response, President Bola Tinubu, in a national broadcast on Sunday, urged the protesters to suspend their actions due to the violence and property damage it had caused.
On Monday that the Nigeria Police Force had arrested at least 30 protesters carrying Russian flags in Kano and other states, and one flag producer, Ahmed Bello, was detained with a large number of flags.
Minister Tuggar called for ongoing international support to help Nigeria navigate its current challenges and build a better future for its citizens.
He remarked, “While the government continues to work hard through the various reform programs and measures to address the challenges facing Nigeria and Nigerians, it is pertinent to remind us that no nation tolerates foreign interference in its domestic affairs and that of its citizens. Nigeria is not an exception.”
He added that the government would take necessary actions against any foreign entity found to be supporting the protesters or interfering in Nigeria’s internal matters.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, affirmed the government’s support for peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, while pledging to investigate the violence and hold perpetrators accountable.
He expressed gratitude to the diplomatic community for their support and reassured them that the worst of the unrest was over.
Idris stated, “I want to assure your excellencies that the Federal Government has launched an investigation into the violence that we have seen in the last one week to identify and bring to justice all those responsible. We are committed to preventing the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents in the future. I also want to thank you individually and collectively for your support and understanding during that difficult period.”
He concluded with optimism that the government’s policy interventions would soon bring positive results for the nation.
