Chisaa Okoye
Investigations by ArmadaNews reveal that media houses and financial institutions might be targets of attacks by criminal elements that have hijacked the hitherto peaceful #EndSARS protests in the country.
Sources hinted that more media houses might be attacked in the coming days in what appears like a reprisal attack by faceless groups or sponsored unscrupulous elements.
It was gathered that security operatives are displeased at the media coverage of the violence that have erupted in the wake of the nationwide protests against police brutality.
Specifically, sources hinted that security operatives “believe the media is biased in their coverage of the events, particularly, the reported shooting of protesters across the country”, which has elicited global criticisms.
“Another major issue raising their (security) tempers is the burning of police stations. The police are irked by this development. Also, the soldiers are particularly angry that the television stations are showing live coverage of the activities and by so doing, showing the world that indeed the Nigeria Army and by extension, the Nigerian Government are killers indeed.”
Another security source called on the media to exercise restraints in their coverage of the events, as regards live coverage, video and publishing of pictures.
“The security operatives believe they have been labeled enemies of the people and therefore have no reason to protect those who declare them enemies”, he said.
On banks and other financial institutions, the source explained that in situations such as these, hoodlums, will cash in on the ensuing crises to loot the banks.
He advised the banks to either suspend operations in crisis-ridden areas or beef up security around their establishments.
TV Continental and some banks are among facilities torched on Wednesday.
ArmadaNews gathered the hoodlums, who could not gain access into the TVC building, set vehicles ablaze but were stopped by policemen arrived the scene and evacuated occupants of the premises to safety.
At the Lekki, area of Lagos, hoodlums looted commercial banks and carted away undisclosed amount of cash.
A security expert told ArmadaNews that some of the miscreants might actually have been sponsored by some interest groups to unleash mayhem in a desperate bid to end the peace protests and silence the youths.
“You know the amount of damage in Lagos today alone; how many establishments burnt, the looting and killings etc. Where were the anti-riot policemen deployed by the IGP, Mohammed Adamu? All these so called heads of security agencies have failed Nigeria and Nigerians” he declared.