The organizers of the countrywide #EndBadGovernance demonstrations have been added to a watchlist by the Nigerian government.
This was announced on Tuesday at Defense Headquarters in Abuja by the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Services, or NIS, Kemi Nandap. She was speaking during a strategic meeting called by Gen. Christopher Musa, the Chief of Staff.
She declared that anyone living abroad would be detained as soon as they entered the nation.
The heads of security and intelligence services, along with the chief of defense, met behind closed doors to discuss carrying out President Bola Tinubu’s directive to launch a crackdown.
Fielding questions from newsmen after the meeting, Nandap said, “We have Diaspora sponsors, they are on our watchlist. They are watchlisted, any attempt they make to come into the country, we’ll be notified and they will be picked up and handed to the appropriate authority.”
According to her, in reaction to the protests, the Immigration Service has sent more officers to land borders and airports to ensure that the country’s entry and leave points are adequately manned.
She emphasized that the agency has also increased surveillance to deter foreign involvement in the country.
Yusuf Bichi, Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), stated that the agency had unmasked certain sponsors. However, he declined to provide any further details.
Bichi, who was represented at the meeting by the DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, stated that certain bank accounts had already been frozen.
He further stated that some of the individuals controlling the accounts are currently abroad and are being monitored.