Despite appeals by some stakeholders and the Federal Government calling for calm, organisers of the October 1 protests against hardship in the country have insisted on going ahead with tomorrow’s action.
Giving reasons, one of the lawyers to the detained August 1 protesters, Mr Deji Adeyanju, yesterday, asserted that the fresh round of protest is on the heels of the Federal Government’s failure to address protesters’ earlier demands.
Adeyanju said the government intentionally kept the issues aside, adding that President Bola Tinubu’s promise to engage with protesters had not been fulfilled.
Meanwhile, the Jigawa Police command will deploy its men today in readiness for the protest, just as Lagos command met with protest organisers and assured them of security.
Also, Lagos State government said the restriction of the action to two designated venues still stands, warning that protesters will not be allowed in other areas to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Reacting to the planned protest, the Federal Government, yesterday, urged the protesters to sheathe their swords and refrain from acts of violence.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, in a chat with Vanguard, said: “The Federal Government is appealing to all Nigerians to remain calm and refrain from any acts of violence as Nigeria celebrates its 64th Independence anniversary and 25 years of unbroken democracy.
“The government of President Bola Tinubu is committed to ensuring peace, unity and prosperity for all. It is also important for Nigerians to see opportunity in the various policies of the government, and use it for their betterment.”
However, Adeyanju said there is no going back on the protest because: “the issues from the August 1 nationwide peaceful protest have not been addressed, citizens have the right to protest.
“Irrespective of insinuations of government, arraignment of protesters, intimidation, and attempts to criminalize protest, citizens have insisted and expressed their rights that they must protest. It is a constitutionally guaranteed right that cannot be derogated in any circumstances.
‘’I believe that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that citizens enjoy constitutionally guaranteed rights, and all must protect their rights.
“They are hitting the streets on October 1 because the protesters’ demands have not been met. Not one has been met, and even the promise by the President that ‘please shelve the protest I am going to engage with you’; none and nothing has happened. The President has refused to engage, which means that the President really takes the people for granted.”
He also said the protest would hold as planned by the organisers because “even under the military, people were allowed to protest. The police are aware of the protest, and the organisers of the ‘Take it Back Movement’ have written to the police in Lagos, Abuja, Oyo and other parts of the country. The protest is nationwide.”
Recalling that security agents during the August 1 protest arrested and remanded peaceful protesters and might repeat the actions during the October 1 protest, he said the protesters are not deterred.
“That would be the intention of government anyway but I can tell you that would not deter citizens at all in exercising their franchise. And this is an opportunity to call on citizens to blaze the trail and ensure that their rights are enforced during this October 1 protest.’’
Adeyanju also said the Police Act mandated the police to protect protesters exercising their guaranteed constitutional rights, of which protest is one.
“In fact, the police had tried to say they were inviting the protesters for a meeting but the protesters had declined; the protesters had offered a zoom meeting, which the police did not oblige.”
On the days the protest will last, he said it was only the organisers who could decide how many days the protest will last, and he added that as soon the protest commences, the organisers will give details of activities.
We’re working aggressively to release all protesters
On the issue of protesters still in prison custody and yet to be arraigned, he said: “Many have been granted bail in Abuja, Kano, Sokoto, and other places across the country but so many more are still in custody. We are working aggressively to ensure that they are all released.”
He added that they will be in court today because “they said they have plans to arraign more protesters that were arrested and not released. We are optimistic that they will keep to their words and arraign them.”
However, Adeyanju explained that meeting the N100 million condition for 10 protesters recently granted bail was not the issue but landed property requested by the court.
“No, it is not payment of monetary sum or whatsoever, the hardest part of meeting that condition was just the issue around landed property.
“We have put in an application for variation, we have met some of the demands for some of the protesters. Three protesters that could not meet the demands we have put in an application for variation and that application is coming up on Friday, October 4, 2024”, he said.
On the condition of protesters in prison custody, the human rights activist said: “They have largely been incarcerated from their loved ones and it is definitely not a palatable one but it shows that the government is tyrannical in nature, and the government can do better.”
Speaking on the efforts of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, to release protesters in prison custody, he asserted: “The NBA is doing a lot, even at the last adjourned date the NBA was in court on behalf of the protesters. We have been to Kano, we have done interventions in Sokoto, Lagos and other parts of the country.”
He lamented that so far, there had been “no foreign intervention on this matter. The diplomatic community has been quiet over the issue, and this is not comfortable. That is why we have called on the diplomatic community and development partners of the country to lend their voice to ensure that freedoms are exercised and citizens’ rights are not unnecessarily suppressed in the country.”
In Kogi State, the Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Onuoha, appealed to protest organisers to sheathe their swords and give more time to President Tinubu to address challenges facing the country.
In a statement by the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Williams Anya, the CP, shortly after the organisers visited the command, appealed to them to be patient and give the Federal Government some time to fix the economy and other related demands.
The statement read: “Given the October 1 planned nationwide protest, the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State police Command, CP Bethrand Onuoha engaged with the executives of “Take It Back Movement” Kogi State chapter at the command headquarters, Lokoja.
“The CP advised the group to reconsider their planned protest and give the government more time to fix the economy of our dear Nation.
“He further stated that he called for the engagement meeting in response to their letter received on Friday, September 27, 2024.
“Leader of the group assured the CP that as enlightened and law-abiding youths in Kogi State, they accept his advice as a father and promised to remain committed to the peace, progress, and development of the state.
“Present at the meeting were DCP Chike Nwabuwa, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations and his Assistant, ACP Aigbe Aghahowa, SP William Ovye Aya, PPRO, SP Emmanuel Abogonye, 2-I-C SID/OC Monitoring Unit, DSP Christopher Okoebor, PA to CP, while members of the Group include Moses Opeyemi, Coordinator, Oloruntoba Segun, Muhammed Abdul, Ande Joel, Michael John, Musa Matthew, Usman Alfa, Mohammed Usman Ahmed, Ibrahim Shaibu, and Adama Shaibu.”
In Lagos, the Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, met with the protest organizers in his office at the state headquarters, Ikeja, and assured them that arrangements had been perfected with sister security agencies to provide maximum security for them and other Lagosians. He urged them to remain peaceful and law-abiding in all their actions.
CP Ishola also ordered the immediate deployment of human and operational resources across strategic locations in the state, charging the deployed officers to be professional, and civil but firm.
The protest organizers, on their part, gave assurances that they and their followers would be peaceful and law-abiding during the exercise.
In attendance at the meeting were Dabiradura Adeyinka, Alex Omotehinse, I. Tobiloba, Lawal Adewale, Adewale Ojo, Declan I., Funmi Jolade Ajayi, Akintunde Adedeji, Balogun Hameed, Aghedo Stephen, Edafe Oghenebrume, H.O.T. Duro, Isaac Obasi, Soweto, Oloye Adeniji, Aishat Omolara, Barristers Chuks Nwobi, Emmanuel Ajide., Femi Akinyemi (Falana & Falana Chambers) and Comrade Oguntunji.
Rising from the meeting, the organisers said the protest procession will be from Ikeja to Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota.
Coordinator of the movement, Mr Hassan Taiwo, aka Soweto, who is also the National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign, ERC, said: “We are ready for the October 1 protest in Lagos. As you are already aware, the #EndBadGovernance movement has declared Tuesday October 1, 2024, as a ‘National Day of Survival’ to protest the condition of hunger and hardship precipitated by Tinubu’s anti-poor and neo-liberal capitalist policies.
“Here in Lagos, the movement has also announced Ikeja Under-bridge as the take-off point and the time is 7:30am. As a movement, we wholeheartedly believe in the unity of all fighting forces as a prerequisite for a successful struggle.
“October 1, a ‘National Day of Survival.’, is a day for the Nigerian people to come together at barricades across the country to reflect on the journey of nationhood so far and make a decision on how to rescue our country from the condition of mass poverty amid abundance.
‘’Here in Lagos, our peaceful protest march will take place as follows: Take off point is Ikeja Under-bridge. From there, we shall march around several roads and streets of Lagos to sensitize the long-suffering people of Lagos.
“By this announcement, we are informing the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State of our planned October action. We are also by this means, informing the Police of their obligation under Section 83 (4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 which imposes a duty on the Nigeria Police Force to provide adequate security for citizens who may wish to participate in public meetings, rallies and protests.
“We hereby call on the Nigerian people, progressive organisations, community groups, trade unions, students unions, youth groups to come out massively on October 1 in peaceful protest and demonstration.
‘’The October 1 action is an urgent cry to the Tinubu administration to address our demands immediately. Unless our demands are met, more protests will follow the ‘National Day of Survival.’’
Some of the group’s demands include rejection of IMF neo-liberal policies; reversal of hike in fuel price and electricity tariff back to pre-May 29, 2023 levels, making government-owned refineries work to guarantee affordable fuel products, reducing food prices, supporting farmers to ensure sustainable food production, ending insecurity, banditry, terrorism and violent crimes, prosecuting culprits and their sponsors.
Others are a robust security architecture and adequate support for soldiers at the front and their families, release of Adaramoye Michael Lenin, Mosiu Sodiq, Daniel Akande and all #EndBadGovernance protesters, activists, journalists, whistle-blowers and other victims of state repression unconditionally, implement N70,000 New National Minimum wage at all levels, and reduce the cost of governance.
Other coordinators of the protest are Francis Nwapa, National Secretary, Youth Rights Campaign, YRC; Oloye Adegboyega Adeniji, Chairman, Movement for Fundamental Change, MFC; Abiodun Aremu, Secretary, Joint Action Front, JAF; and Mr Wale Balogun, National Coordinator, Yoruba Revolutionary Movement, YOREM.
Meanwhile, Lagos State government has advised organisers of the protest not to disrupt the social and economic activities in the state during the protest, saying the directives of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to the Commissioner of Police for maintenance and securing of public safety and public order during the protest stands.
The state government also said a Lagos High Court order which restricted the protest to Freedom and Peace Parks in the Ojota and Ketu areas of the state is still binding.
Responding to questions by some journalists on the issue, yesterday, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN, noted that Governor Sanwo-Olu is not opposed to any group of residents expressing their view about any government by way of public protest, but insisted that such expression must be done within the confines of the law.
Pedro stated that a Lagos High Court had restricted the protest in the state to Freedom and Peace Parks in the state and urged the protesters to respect the court order by confining themselves to the two venues.
He said: “We have and shall continue to engage the civil societies and NGOs in Lagos who are genuinely interested in the development of Lagos State to explain and enlighten them that the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is not opposed to any group of residents to express their view about any government by way of public protest as it is their fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of Nigeria 1999.
“However the fundamental rights to freedom of speech, association and assembly is not absolute and by virtue of Section 45, Section 215 (4) of the Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) and section 4 & 10(2) of the Police Act, it is lawful for the Governor of Lagos State or the Attorney General of Lagos on his behalf to give the Commissioner of Police of Lagos State directive for maintenance and securing of public safety and public order that may impact on the exercise of these fundamental rights.”
Pedro insisted that the state government would not permit any street protest that could be hijacked by criminal elements whose agenda is destruction of government or other residents’ properties.
“In that respect, we advise that the organisers should utilise the designated venues in the state for public protest to wit; Freedom Park and Peace Park for adequate protection and coverage of the protest by members of the press.
“It is the same set or group of people that organised the last protest that are planning the October 1 protest, so they should be guided by the interim preservative order of injunction of court restricting public protest in the State to designated venues for the purpose.
“More so, a substantive action is pending in court against them wherein an order of interlocutory and perpetual injunction are being sought to permanently restrict any person or group of persons that wish to organise public protest in Lagos State to do so at designated venues.
“It is settled principle of law that a defendant who is aware of a pending claim or application for injunction against him in a court of law, has an obligation to respect the court process and not engage in the same act sought to be restrained.
“Therefore, whether the interim preservative order is subsisting or not, by the subsisting suit, it will be unlawful for anybody, civil society or NGO in Lagos to convene any public protest outside the designated venue. They should use the designated venues for their protest so that adequate security protection and traffic management can be provided for them to exercise their recognised fundamental right to freedom of speech, association and assembly without fear of the protest being hijacked and turned violence as experienced during the #EndSARS protest.
“The last End bad governance protest in Lagos was violence-free and successful because it was held in designated venues for public protest in the state.”
In Jigawa State, the Police said they werr ready to provide adequate security for residents of the state.
Towards this end, the command said it would be deploying its men to protect all critical national assets in the state.
Jigawa State was one of the states that witnessed massive destruction of public and private properties during the August 1-10 #EndBadGovernance protest.
Spokesperson of the command, DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam, in an interview, yesterday, said though no group had approached it in respect of the protest, the police would not be leaving anything to chance.
“So far, we do not have any group that has approached us in respect of the planned protest, we have been monitoring the development around the state.
‘’In-fact, we will begin to deploy our men to all critical assets around the state. Apart from that, we have initiated dialogue with some critical groups such as the labour unions and they have assured us that they are not planning any protest in the state.”
In Katsina State, no group has publicly expressed interest in participating in the October 1 protest. It was also learned that those who participated in the last protest are still facing legal proceedings.
Efforts to contact Kabiru Yandaki, the leader of the “Struggle for Good Governance” protest, were unsuccessful. His associates also couldn’t be reached for comments.
When contacted, spokesperson, Katsina Police Command, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, confirmed the development.
He said the command is yet to receive any official notification about a protest and has not been contacted by any group planning to participate in the October 1 protest.
Nevertheless, ASP Sadiq said the Command has made all necessary arrangements, including adequate deployment of personnel’ to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order during the protest.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the National Association of University Students (NAUS) has said that students in the nation’s universities will not participate in the October 1 protest
To this end, the body has called on the students to stay away from any form of protest instigated by any individual or groups on Independence Day.
NAUS,at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, said that it was making arrangements to engage in dialogue with relevant authorities to protect the interest of students.
NAUS National President, Mr Josiah Oche Peter, urged NNPCL to take proactive steps to ensure all filling stations sell PMS at a uniform price.
The body also charged NNPCL to ensure that the nation’s refineries begin operation.
“We urge all university students to shun all forms of protest, as we will engage in dialogue with relevant authorities to protect NAUS’s interests, except as a last resort if our demands are not met,”he said.
The university students’ body called on the Federal Government to distribute 3,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to all institutions to help cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on university students. – Vanguard.
