The Nigerian government must have read Julius Cesar's entire war book because this is exactly what it is doing to its youths who have decided to stand up for their rights.

The #EndSARS protests have been going on for no less than three weeks now, but the strength of the movement is starting to lose steam on home soil (Nigerians in diaspora have been lending their voices in organised protests from all over the world).

Nigerian youths have been given a new enemy to battle with; the enemy within.

A movement that had been so coordinated has now been overtaken by fear and distrust and most of the leading lights in the protests now know not to trust each other.

READ ALSO:

Nigerians in Accra protest in support of the End SARS movement

How did the government achieve this? By shifting the focus of the youths from the major point of contention (which is to first End police brutality and then proceed end bad governance in the nation) to baseless and unfounded claims expertly crafted by devious individuals who already know how the average Nigerian thinks.

After the shootings of the Lagos Lekki toll gate bridge, On October 20, 2020, where uniformed men opened fire on peaceful protesters - reportedly killing 12 and maiming scores of others.

The state government, the federal government and the army have all denied being involved in the situation.

Their claims have been gradually gaining more credibility as no one has proven their involvement beyond reasonable doubt.

Gruesome footage has been flying around to show the extent of the situation, but due to the Nigerian youth's tendencies to overexaggerate, the truth has been lost in translation - just as the government expected.

The normal consequence of this is the outrage sparked by the emotions of the aggrieved youths

From emotion comes destruction and carnage, and from these come loss and confusion.

Nigerian youths are now grasping at straws.

Conspiracy theories have begun to spring from different angles even to the point where there's a claim that the president of Nigeria is a clone and the original president Buhari is dead.

Apart from the widespread fear that now reigns in the hearts of Nigerians, these conspiracy theories are fast-dividing the youths and separating them from the rest of the population.

The government is well aware that the youths alone, cannot "take back" the country.