Ex British envoy cautions against Oct protest, alleges foreign influence

A former British diplomat, Mr David Roberts, has warned the federal government against the rising cost of living protests scheduled for October, saying foreign interests might be behind the organisers.

A group, the Coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, had on August 28, 2024, in Osogbo threatened to stage protests larger than August’s if the federal government failed to bring down the high cost of living by October 1, 2024.

However, Roberts, who was director of the British Council in Nigeria, warned that foreign interests might use Nigerians’ genuine concerns to destabilise the country.

Speaking against the background of last week’s revelation by the US Secretary of State, Mr Anthony Blinken, that an African media outlet was one of the supporters of the August #EndBadGovernce protests, was an undercover Russian intelligence psychological operation aimed at destabilising Nigeria.

“In light of the wide use of Russian flags in the last days of rage protests and taking this new revelation by the U.S. Secretary of State, Nigeria ought to be very careful about the proposed October 1 protest,” the former envoy said in a statement yesterday, adding that “Nigeria should take more care and alert its citizenry to the truth about such platforms and their agents.

“At a briefing in Washington last week, Blinken accused an African media outlet of working for Russia, contrary to its claim of mainstreaming Africa’s interests.

Recalling that many of the August protesters in the North displayed the Russian flags, Roberts admonished the federal government to take the threat of another protest in October seriously and take measures to nip it in the bud.

The federal government, in the wake of the August protests against the rising cost of living, said the demonstrations were backed by external bodies and subsequently charged a Briton, David Wynne, and 12 other Nigerians with treason.