Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical organization Afenifere has denounced recent calls for a military takeover in Nigeria, attributing these calls to individuals who, it claims, are exploiting the recent hunger protests for ulterior motives.
In a statement released by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Afenifere emphasized that the country’s democratic process should not be undermined for any reason.
The organization criticized the violence that erupted during the protests, which saw property destruction, looting, and loss of lives in several states.
Some protesters were reportedly seen hoisting flags associated with Russia and, in some cases, the Nigerian Army.
Afenifere denounced these actions, suggesting that regardless of the flag’s origin, the underlying message was to incite an unconstitutional takeover of government.
Afenifere questioned why, if the protests were aimed at addressing hunger and deprivation, there was an inclination towards military or foreign intervention.
The group argued that such interventions would not automatically resolve the issues at hand and would only exacerbate the problems under a military regime.
The statement highlighted states where protests turned violent, including Edo, Rivers, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa, Borno, Kano, and Yobe.
It noted that in some northern states, not only were properties destroyed and looted, but there were also open calls for a coup.
While acknowledging that democracy might not yet fully address Nigeria’s challenges, Afenifere defended it as the best available system due to its democratic principles, which allow for people’s participation in governance and legal operation of various tendencies. The organization urged that democracy should be given a chance to address the country’s issues, rather than resorting to undemocratic measures.
