TheCable

The federal government has described the shutdown of power facilities by protesters as economic sabotage, saying it will not allow anyone to “hide under the guise of legitimate protests to sabotage power infrastructure”.

The government has also threatened to deal ruthlessly with those engaged in pipeline vandalism and repeated attacks on oil and gas pipelines, resulting to the interruption of fuel supplies across the country.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, gave the warning in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.

“While this administration will not do anything to abridge the constitutional rights of any individual or group to carry out protests, it will also not tolerate a situation in which anyone will hide under the guise óf legitimate protests to sabotage power infrastructure,” the statement read.

“The shutdown of the national transmission facility in Osogbo and the Ikeja Disco by some unionists amount to economic sabotage.

“Vandals, whatever their motives are, cannot and will not be treated with kid gloves because their actions constitute a clear and present danger to the nation’s economic, social and political well being.

“The attack on the Forcados Export Terminal that has affected gas production by oil firms and reduced gas supply to power generating plants and the shutdown of the Utorogu gas plant are totally condemnable and cannot be allowed to continue.”

Mohammed said the government was not unaware that corruption is “vigorously fighting back in many forms”, but that would not make it lose focus in its anti-graft war.

He appealed to Nigerians to join hands with the government to check the activities of the “unscrupulous and unpatriotic elements” who have taken it upon themselves to continuously work against the interest of the people.

“Nothing will make this government to slow down in its anti-corruption fight and no one who is corrupt will be spared,” he said.

“When oil and gas facilities are vandalized, the impact is felt directly by Nigerians. When power infrastructure is sabotaged for whatever reasons, Nigerians bear the brunt. While those actions may be aimed at discrediting the government, those who pay the price are the vast majority of innocent, law-abiding and well-meaning Nigerians, not just the vandals or the saboteurs. This is why Nigerians must not allow the few recreants behind these attacks to hold sway.”