As youths across Nigeria brace up for a nationwide protest against hardship and bad governance on August 1st, the group, Niger Delta Peace Movement, has urged citizens to discard the planned protest insisting that some unpatriotic elements have perfected plans to hijack the process to destabilize the country.
The national leader of the group, Alhaji Harmony Awolowo, in a statement, warned that if things get out of hand it would be difficult for the country to recover.
He urged Nigerians to learn from what happened during the #EndSARS protest where some terrorist groups hid under the cover of Nigerian youths to steal and destroy properties.
He said: "it is on record that property worth billions of naira were destroyed in Lagos alone," and cautioned against the August 1 protest whose intentions are not known to many who are warming up to participate.
Awolowo called for more diplomatic means of addressing grievances; rather than resorting to street protests which may blow up the nation.
He said, "The protest is not being organized in the interest of Nigerians, but for selfish reasons by politicians who have long been rejected by the people, and are now coming through the youths to cause mayhem.
"Some very wicked opposition leaders want to colonize the Nigerian youths and use them as thugs and hoodlums during the protest and we want to say no.
"We should say no to political thuggery, we cannot continue to be use to amplify the voices and demands of politicians who are protesting for selfish reasons.
"By the end of the day, they will take their children abroad to enjoy while the rest of us will remain and suffer.
"As a fellow comrade, I am urging Nigerian youths not to be part of these wicked politicians who hide under the umbrella of youths to disorganize the government and the country.
"Rather than joining the protest which is aimed at fighting against security agents and destroying properties, we should rather support the government in the little way we can to improve the economy and bring about positive change."
