August Protest: How government can avert #EndSARS violence – Falana

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has called on the federal government to engage with leaders of the planned nationwide protest scheduled to take place between 1 and 10 August.

The lawyer, who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, also called for a more constructive approach from the government to addressing the demands of young Nigerians mobilising for the protest.

Mr Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, spoke against the backdrop of the violence that characterised the 2020 #EndSARS protests.

“This time around, the government should try to identify the leaders of the movement and then engage them, and then the questions be raised,” said Mr Falana, renowned for his participation in major national protests and provision of pro bono legal services to unlawfully detained protesters and victims of diverse human rights abuses.

“There are demands that are being made, and the government should address these demands,” he added on Tuesday.

The lawyer, who blamed the #EndSARS violence on the government, warned against deploying threats or force against protesters.

He said this would be counterproductive, noting that “threats do not work,” adding, “In fact, on some occasions, the desperation of the government also has a way of popularising such protests.”

Mr Falana’s warning was inspired by the ugly developments during the #EndSARS protest by the Nigerian youths who trooped to the streets in different parts of the country to call for police reforms and an end to police brutality.

They also specifically called for the dissolution of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which was notorious for the cruelty of its officers towards citizens.

The protest, without clear, central leadership, went on peacefully in different parts of the country for days until it turned violent when hoodlums began to loot stores, attack security operatives and innocent citizens, police stations and other public infrastructure under the cover of the protest.

A memorable highlight of the protest was when the soldiers deployed to quell the demonstration shot at peaceful protesters gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, killing some and injuring others.

On 10 July, the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja held the Nigerian government liable for violating the rights of three Nigerians, who gave different accounts of deadly shooting at the peaceful gathering at the toll gate by Nigerian security operatives.

After the #EndSARS protests, there was a major protest on 12 June 2021.

Protesters trooped to the streets during the demonstrations, mainly in South-west states, to express their grievances against the poor state of governance and the worsening insecurity in the country during the then President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

’10 days of rage’ protest, Falana’s counsel

Similarly, the upcoming protest is inspired by the worsening state of the economy and societal ills blamed on bad governance and the profligacy of government officials.

The President Bola Tinubu administration has seen pockets of protests against tariff and fuel pump price hikes, as well as insecurity and hardships associated with the government’s economic policies.

But the upcoming one would be the biggest yet to be seen by the government.

The protest, themed ’10 days of rage,’ is scheduled between 1 and 10 August.

The protest aims to bring attention to the government’s perceived inaction in addressing these economic issues and to demand urgent action to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

Drawing a parallel with the #EndSARS protests of 2020, on Tuesday, Mr Falana spoke about the negative consequences of the government’s failure to engage constructively with protesters.

He blamed the violence during the #EndSARS on the government.

“The violence that characterised the end of the #EndSARS protest was instigated, fuelled and sponsored by the government,” he said.

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“The government decided to unleash hoodlums and thugs on the young people. When that did not work, the government sent troops and soldiers to engage in the killing of young people. In one week, about 99 people were killed in Lagos. I don’t want to talk about Ogbomoso, Port Harcourt, Benin, and other places where young people were shot at and killed.”

Many public commentaries have maintained that without clear leadership, the movement is vulnerable to infiltration by violent elements, leading to widespread destruction of property and loss of life.

Mr Falana urged both the federal and state governments to communicate their efforts to mitigate economic hardship and engage transparently with the public.

“Between now and 1 August is still a long way to go, and I understand the government will address the nation. It is also important for governors to really come out and let the people know what they are doing to address hardship in the country, which nobody is denying,” he said.