Nigeria's secret police, the Department of State Services has warned of a sinister plan to stoke violence in parts of Nigeria, particularly the North-Central region.
Peter Afunanya, spokesperson for the agency, raised the alarm in a statement on Saturday.
He said the aim was to cause ethno-religious crisis, ignite reprisals and heat up the polity.
The DSS said the sponsors had mobilised foot soldiers and held several meetings in and outside the target areas.
The agency said students, striking lecturers, labour unions, disgruntled individuals and strategic groups were to be used “to exploit the global energy situation to carry out a mass protest like the EndSARS”.
The statement read; "The Department of State Services hereby alerts the public of a sinister plan by some elements to stoke violence in parts of the country particularly the North-Central. The aim is to cause ethno-religious crisis, ignite reprisals and heat up the polity. In a bid to achieve this, the sponsors have mobilised foot soldiers and held several meetings in and outside the target areas.
"The service is also aware of a plot to use students, striking university teachers, labour unions, disgruntled individuals and strategic groups as well as exploit the global energy situation to carry out a mass protest like the EndSARS. This is despite ongoing efforts by the government to address the issues.
"While the service views the machination as unpatriotic, it is on the trail of the agents of destabilisation who are desirous of using violence to achieve ulterior goals. Though it has placed measures to disrupt these tendencies, it warns the ring leaders and their cohorts to desist from acts capable of causing a breakdown of law and order. The public should be rest assured that the service will, in conjunction with other security agencies, go after the sponsors of this scheme and ensure the law takes its course.
"Citizens are advised not only to engage according to rules but should resist persuasions to be used to destroy their own country. Those who may wish to go contrary to the law will, however, face the consequences."
