The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said 873 other protesters have been arrested by the police, including a tailor, identified as Ahmed Bello, who was arrested with a large number of flags in Kano.

This comes as President Bola Tinubu directed security agencies to crack down on those flying Russian flags in the country.

Gen. Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, said this on Monday while briefing State House correspondents after the National Security Council meeting.

All the service chiefs, including Vice President Kashim Shetima, Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser; and Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector-General of Police; attended the meeting.

He said the service chiefs briefed the President on the current security situation in the country.

He added that the briefing was necessitated by the ongoing nationwide protests, which resulted into violence in some states.

“Initially, when the protest started, they said it was a peaceful protest, but we have realised that there are individuals willing to take advantage of it to cause mayhem.

“And we can see clearly what has happened since it commenced. Criminals have taken over, with a lot of looting, stealing, and all sorts happening,” he said.

He said the situation became worrisome as foreign flags were flown within Nigeria’s sovereignty, and that was totally unacceptable.

“We are warning in clear terms, and the President has also said we should convey this: We will not accept anybody, any individual flying any foreign flag in Nigeria.

“That is a treasonable offence, and it will be viewed and treated as such. So, nobody should allow himself to be used by any individual,” said the general.

He said those flying foreign flags were mainly children who were being pushed to do so.

“We’re following up with those who are sponsoring them. Some people are pushing them because the flags were also made. We have identified those behind it, and we are going to take serious action against them.

“The President is clear in his instructions that we do not accept anyone who wants to disrupt the peace and tranquillity of Nigeria,” he said.

He said all security agencies were ready to defend democracy and the nation’s sovereignty.

“We will not accept anyone taking any action, for whatever reason, to want to push for any change of government.

“Democracy is what we stand for; democracy is what we will continue to defend,” he said.

The CDS said he had earlier stated that the military would step in if the protests got out of hand.

“You can see that some subversive elements are pushing individuals to carry Russian flags in Nigeria; that is crossing the red line, and we will not accept that.

In a national broadcast on Sunday, President Tinubu pleaded with the organisers of the nationwide protest to suspend the action as it had gone violent in some states with the attendant loss of lives and destruction of property.

Speaking at the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee joint press briefing, in Abuja, on Monday, Adejobi stated that the police were on the trail of other suspects, especially the sponsors of the protesters waving the Russian foreign flags.

Protesters in their numbers had been seen waving Russian flags around the busy Kano-Zaria Road, Hadejia Road and near the Nyanya bridge, a suburb of Abuja, among others.

Aside from protesting the economic hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy, the demonstrating youths also called for the intervention of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

Viral photos and videos showed demonstrators waving the flags as they chanted in Hausa, “We don’t want bad government.”

On Monday, protesters in Kaduna were also seen waving the Russian flags and chanting in Hausa, “Welcome, Russia; Welcome, Russia.”

The protesters regrouped at the Stadium Roundabout before they embarked on a procession at 10:15am Monday morning, marching along the Junction Road towards Ahmadu Bello Road and chanting in Hausa, “Tinubu ze soka’ kaa’sa,” which translates to, “Tinubu must step-down.”

They hailed military personnel, who patrolled the metropolis, chanting, “Tinubu yaa’so’ka, mu’na so soja”, meaning, “Tinubu step down, we want soldiers.”

A few of the protesters waved the Russian flag and chanted the Hausa refrain, “Bama so”, meaning “We don’t want hunger.”

Another group of the protesters tore the Nigerian flag into shreds.

When one of our correspondents asked one of the protesters why they were flying the Russian flag, he said they wanted Nigeria to embrace the Russian government’s style of leadership like some of the countries in the West African region had already done.

“The American and British governments are the ones teaching all our leaders how to kill Nigeria’s economy.

“We are tired of them. Nigeria is tired of their wickedness and hypocrisy. So, like Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, we want Nigeria to embrace Russia. We like Russia’s style. They are better than USA and Britain, who have nothing for the people except our leaders, who are benefitting from them,” the protester stated.

Russia, an Eastern power currently mired in a cold war with the West, has been blamed for the unconstitutional changes of government in West African countries Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso and others.

The Department of State Services stated on X.com that it had arrested some tailors sewing the Russian flags in Kano State, adding that some of their sponsors had also been nabbed.

The DSS post read, “Meanwhile, the Service has apprehended some tailors in Kano State responsible for making Russian flags being distributed in the area. Some of their sponsors have also been picked. An investigation is ongoing.”

This comes as some governors in the North held emergency meetings with security operatives to stop the protests, while curfews were imposed in Plateau, Kaduna and Bauchi states as tempers flared after day five of the protest.

As of the time of filing this report, the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, was leading a Security Council Emergency Meeting at the Government House.

The Governor, while speaking at the opening of the meeting, noted that the meeting became necessary following the destruction of infrastructure in the state.

Representatives of various security personnel in the state, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, youth groups, among others, attended the meeting.

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, also held an emergency security meeting with heads of security agencies to assess the situation after protesters unexpectedly took to the streets, waving Russian national flags on Monday.

One of our correspondents learnt that following the meeting, the state’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, announced a 24-hour curfew for Kaduna and Zaria metropolitan cities to maintain law and order.

Boss Mustapha who was represented by the Permanent Secretary (General Services Office), Olusegun Adekunle, listed the local government areas as follows; Mainland, Abuja Municipal, Mushin, Eti-Osa, Tarauni, Katsina, Alimosho, Maiduguri, Kosofe, Dutse, Ikeja, Nassarawa, Oshodi/Isolo, Apapa, Amuwo Odofin, Oredo, Bauchi, Lagos Island, Surulere and Ado Odo/Ota.

Mustapha said “We want to sensitise Nigerians on the dangers of this development. We urge Rotary to help us take the awareness further. The risk management team is available to share a strategy with the organisation. The ravaging effect of COVID-19 pandemic was there for everyone to see, including the impact on both governance and the economy. It is for us to strategise for a new way of life. A good number of staff have not been at work for the past four months. The impact of this on the economy is glaring. The fatality rate is quite high. We keep telling Nigerians that please these are not just numbers, but brothers, sisters and colleagues that have passed on. Some groups and clubs have been trying hard for us to control this. The resources needed to fight the virus are enormous”

The security team were led by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Sanusi Buba to General Muhammadu Buhari Government House where they held a closed-door meeting with Governor Aminu Masari over the recent wave of banditry and other crimes in the state.

Moguno who spoke to newsmen after the 2-hour meeting said it was convened to know the underlining issue from a collective point of view and to find an effective way to stop the attacks. He added that getting back the confidence of residence of the state in security operatives is of utmost importance.

Shehu made the allegation while appearing on Channels Television’s “Sunrise Daily” on Monday June 15. He accused the traditional rulers of helping bandits to escape when security agencies are planning counter-attacks.

Garba Shehu said “It is not that we are making direct accusations on anyone but it is also true that even in the president’s native state of Katsina, some traditional rulers have been found complicit in collaboration with the bandits to harm their own people. In neighbouring Zamfara, emirs and district heads, quite a number of them have been swept out of office. The thing is there are beneficiaries of whatever rotten system you have. At some point, the Nigerian Air Force had to put a number of aircraft in Katsina, they are still there. In the early part of that operation attacking Zamfara which then was the epicentre. They realised that once aircraft took off from Katsina airport before it got to Zamfara for operation, telephone calls would have been made and targets would have disappeared. In the end, we were forced to be flying from distant places like Kaduna and Kano in order to undertake operations in Zamfara. All of us as citizens have a duty to the nation to provide information to our armed forces”

A statement released by his Family says the broadcaster is in good spirit and is not bedridden as widely speculated by his friends and associates.

The statement read “The Family of Alhaji Ayinde Soaga, GM, NTA Katsina appreciates the numerous phone calls and concern raised about the report as regards his testing positive to COVID 19. We wish to confirm that he is in high spirits, not bedridden, as he personally called in the NCDC officials to carry out the test on him. Aware that the COVID-19 is not a death sentence and believing in God for healing, we seek your prayers for speedy and divine healing which Almighty Allah gives.”

He also advised them to cultivate the habit of retiring for the night by 6:00 p.m.

The NYSC Director General’s gave this warning on Sunday when he paid an unannounced visit to corps members deployed to Katsina and Borno States who are currently undergoing their orientation programmes in Katsina State.

General Ibrahim Sunday visit was the second he would make to Katsina within a week as he was earlier in the town last Tuesday following the death of three corps members serving in the state in a ghastly road accident.

The Spokesman for the NYSC in Katsina, Alex Oboameta quoted the DG to have said “The NYSC will never pay ransom if any corps member is kidnapped. Corps Members are therefore advised to secure themselves as much as possible to avoid being kidnapped.”

Oboameta, in a statement on the NYSC DG’s visit, added that General Ibrahim addressed the corps members in Katsina Camp where he urged them to be focused and be law-abiding.