General Christopher Mustapha, Chief of Defence Staff, has declared that flying the Russian flag in Nigeria is a treasonable offense.
After an emergency security meeting with President Bola Tinubu at Aso Rock, the General vowed that the law would catch up with those involved.
MUK TV reports that protesters in Kano and other parts of Northern Nigeria have been waving Russian flags during demonstrations, which subtly undermines Nigeria’s sovereignty, raising concerns in some quarters about an invitation to military rule.
Addressing those calling for a coup, Mustapha emphasised that the military is committed to democracy and will not tolerate any attempts at regime change.
“We wanted to brief Mr. President on the situation on the ground, and we know that since the riot started, all security agencies are working together. Initially, the riot was said to be peaceful, but we have realized that there are individuals taking advantage of it to cause mayhem. Criminals have taken over, with looting, stealing, and all sorts happening.”
He continued, “All of us have seen foreign flags flown within the sovereignty of Nigeria, and that is totally unacceptable. We are warning in clear terms, and the President has also said we should convey this: we will not accept anybody flying any foreign flag in Nigeria. That is a treasonable offense and will be treated as such. So nobody should allow themselves to be used by any individual.”
On the issue of coups, he said, “Nigeria is a sovereign and democratic nation. All security agencies are here to defend democracy and ensure it continues to thrive. We will not accept anyone pushing for a change of government. Democracy is what we stand for and will continue to defend.”
General Mustapha also addressed the involvement of children in these activities, stating, “For those flying flags, many of them are kids being pushed to do that. We’re following up with those sponsoring them. We have identified those areas and will take serious action.”
“The President is clear on his instructions for us not to accept anyone disrupting the peace and tranquility of Nigeria. We are working closely together to ensure peace and tranquility are maintained. The military will step in when it is out of hand, and those supervising elements pushing individuals to carry Russian flags in Nigeria are crossing the red line. They will be prosecuted,” he concluded with a strong warning,
