Hardship protest: Organisers dare FG, insist on August rallies

• Nobody in the world can stop us, says northern group
• IG claims foreign infilteration, youths accuse DSS of freezing account
• Shelve your demonstration, Tantita boss, Tompolo, begs organisers

As momentum continues to gather ahead of the planned nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest, some organisers, who all the while were tagged ‘faceless’, have revealed their identities, Saturday PUNCH reports.

They also insisted that they remained undaunted and would hit the streets on August 1 to demonstrate against bad governance, hardship and hunger.

The groups, numbering at least 26, have made it known that they would take to the streets to protest the prevailing hardship, hunger, and bad governance.

Saturday PUNCH gathered that the groups had also written to at least 20 state governments, seeking permission to use state infrastructure to carry out their civic duty.

Some of the groups, Saturday PUNCH can confirm, include Concerned Nigerians, Nigerians Against Hunger, Initiative for Change, Take it Back Movement, Revolution Now, Human Rights Co-Advocacy Group, Nigerians Against Corruption Initiative, Citizens for Change Advocacy Initiative, Timely Intervention, and Active Citizens Group.

Others include Students for Change, We Coalition, Total Intervention, Refurbished Nigeria, Tomorrow Today, Our Future in Our Own Hands Initiative, Youths Against Tyranny, and Call a Spade a Spade Movement, among others.

Several others, who spoke to our correspondents but chose to remain anonymous, numbered over six, including an all-female group.

One of the organisers, who is the Convener of the Revolution Now Movement, Mr Omoyele Sowore, released a list of locations for the upcoming #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest, scheduled to take place in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

He said the protest was aimed at bringing attention to the country’s governance issues.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate, urged Nigerians wishing to participate in the campaign to add their towns or cities if they had not already been listed.

He announced the designated locations for the protest in various states including Lagos, Kano, Bauchi, Enugu, Jigawa, Ekiti, Cross River, and the Federal Capital Territory, among others.

The listed locations include Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki/Ajah axis, Badagry, Ikeja, and Epe in Lagos State; Kano main town in Kano State; Azare and Bauchi town in Bauchi State; Enugu city and Nsukka in Enugu State; and Dutse and Kazaure in Jigawa State.

Also listed were Ado-Ekiti and Ikere Ekiti in Ekiti State; Calabar in Cross River State, and Gwagalada and Central Business District in the Federal Capital Territory, among others.

Another organiser, who is the Director of Mobilisation, Take it Back Movement, FCT, Damilare Adenola, said the protest was backed by several groups in the country.

“This is not about one group or another. It is about angry and hungry Nigerians who are tired of this system. Protest is our right. Nobody can take it away from us. We have already written to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to avail us of the National Stadium built with taxpayers’ money for our peaceful demonstration,” he said.

The group had written to Wike on Friday to grant them the use of Eagle Square for the proposed #EndBadGovernance protest scheduled to be held from August 1 to 10.

They demanded provision of 24-hour power supply, toilet facilities, water, and security for the convenience of citizens who would be camped out at the location.

The statement titled, ‘Request for use of Eagle Square Abuja for #EndBadGovernance protest,’ read, “As one of the groups organizing the forthcoming #EndBadGovernance protest, #DaysOfRage starting from August 1st to 10th, 2024, we at the Take It Back Movement write to your esteemed office to notify you of our decision to use Eagle Square as a point of convergence for patriotic Nigerians to demand better governance.”

A representative of Nigerians Against Hunger, Tunde Thomas, speaking to Saturday PUNCH, said Nigeria was tired of the hunger in the land, adding that the government should intervene.

“Our demands are simple – End hunger. We cannot be the most populous Black nation in the world and be hungry,” he said.

The Secretary-General of the Initiative for Change, Mr Ocean Panem, said the August 1 protest was not a riot but a way to “echo the voices of all Nigerians.”

“The country is in a mess. We need to recognise that. Members of our group are mostly in the Middle Belt and in Cross River. We would come out en masse and make sure we don’t stop till our demands are met,” he said.

A student group leader, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, said members of her group, who are mostly law students and students of history, would storm the streets on August 1 to protest.

Nobody can stop protest – Northern group

Speaking in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the National Chairman of the Northern Comrades Movement of Nigeria, Jabir Yaro, said, “Nothing will stop this protest. Nobody in this world can stop this protest. It will happen and everybody should come out en masse to protest. No level of intimidation will stop us.

Reacting to the withdrawal from the planned protest by another northern group, he said, “Those were APC boys who were paid for propaganda; we are the youth leaders, and we are set for this protest. We are expecting millions of people for this protest. We have informed the security agencies, and we are ready for it.”

Youths accuse DSS of freezing account

The Take it Back Movement in a post on X accused the DSS of freezing its United Bank of Africa account to starve it of funds.

The group threatened legal action if its account wasn’t unfrozen in the next 24 hours.

It read, “It has now come to our attention that @UBAGroup has frozen our account on the instructions of the DSS over our involvement in the forthcoming protest. We describe this action as lawless, and demand our account be unfrozen immediately within the next 24 hours, without which a legal action will be instituted.”

IG sets guidelines

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun,  urged all groups planning to participate in the nationwide protest to submit their details to the commissioners of police in their respective states.

He made this known while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, adding that this was to ensure that the protest was peaceful.

Egbetokun said, “We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest. However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place.”

He also stated that the proposed protest routes and assembly points must be made known.

The IG noted that the expected duration of the protest and the names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers must also be provided.

Further speaking, he said there must be measures put in place to prevent the hijacking of the protest by criminal elements, including “key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers.”

Egbetokun said intelligence at the disposal of the Force also revealed that foreign mercenaries were involved in the proposed nationwide protest.

Palpable tension

Meanwhile, tension has pervaded major cities in Nigeria ahead of the planned nationwide protest.

Despite pleas, persuasions, warnings, and subtle threats from state and non-state actors, the organisers of the protest have remained resolute, declaring that they will occupy the country as scheduled.

Tagged #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, the protest has generated controversies across Nigeria, making it the leading political and security discussion in the country.

President Bola Tinubu met with governors under the All Progressives Congress and prominent traditional rulers on Thursday to discuss the protest.

Tinubu had earlier pleaded with the organisers to give him more time and shelve the demonstration.

Aside from the President, other stakeholders are also worried about the implications of the demonstration, citing the ongoing national protest in Kenya and the 2020 #EndSARS protest in Nigeria.

On Thursday, the Department of State Services warned the organisers of the protest against proceeding with it, describing it as politically motivated.

The DSS disclosed that it had uncovered a plan by some criminal elements to hijack the protest and cause unrest in the country.

The Defence Headquarters also declared that the planned protest had the potential to degenerate into anarchy and a reign of terror.

Saturday PUNCH noted that the police embarked on a show of strength in Lagos, Abuja, Akwa Ibom, and other parts of the country, in preparation to forestall a possible breakdown of law and order.

However, organisers of the nationwide protest said no amount of threats would stop them.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH in a telephone interview on Thursday, Sowore said the goal of the protest would be achieved and would last longer than any previous protest.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2023 elections, allayed the fears of Nigerians regarding violence on the protest day, saying it would be a success for the police and other security agencies.

He said, “This protest has many Nigerians working simultaneously to achieve the same goal of ending poor governance. We are happy that many more Nigerians have come to the same conclusion we reached five years ago: that a revolution is inevitable.

“The ruling APC understands that Nigerians have figured out that they are a fraudulent party that came to power by deceit and has remained in power through roguery. They are aware that Nigerians are tired of the party, its leaders, and its policies. To sustain the demand for real change, this revolt is planned to last longer than any other in Nigeria’s history.”

A sociopolitical activist and Convener, Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, warned the Federal Government and security agents against sending individuals to attack the protesters. Adeyanju, one of the protest organisers, stated that the protest would be peaceful as long as the government did not try to disrupt it in any part of the country.

He said the protest was prompted by prevailing hunger, corruption, budget padding, and other issues in the country.

Group writes Lagos CP for security

Saturday PUNCH gathered that the Lagos State chapter of the Active Citizens Group Nigeria had notified the state Commissioner of Police of its intention to participate in the protest.

The group’s state Co-ordinator, Adamma Ukpabi, notified authorities in a letter, citing rights to free speech and assembly.

According to the letter, the protest is scheduled to take place on two designated routes: the mainland route, starting at NAHCO Bus Stop and ending at the International Airport, Ikeja, and the Island route, starting at Marwa Bus Stop, Lekki Phase 1, and ending at Eti-Osa Local Government.

FCT police deploys 4,200 cops

Ahead of the nationwide protest, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command has deployed a total of 4,200 policemen across the nooks and crannies of the nation’s capital.

The command also announced the deployment of explosive ordnance device experts at various strategic locations.

In a statement on Friday, the spokesperson for the command, Josephine Adeh, said the deployment was to ensure public safety, protection of protesters, and prevention of           hijack by non-state actors.

She added that there would be raids on identified black spots, uncompleted buildings/shanties, and stop-and-search operations among others in collaboration with sister security agencies.

We won’t condone criminality – Ogun CP

Reacting, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, said the command would not fold its hands and allow anyone to destroy property, breach the peace, or attack police officers under the guise of protest.

Alamutu disclosed this while speaking on the readiness of the state command to ensure the protection of lives and property ahead of the national protest.

The CP, in a phone conversation with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, said, “We have begun a series of engagements with stakeholders like religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth leaders, and transport workers, among others, on the need for everyone not to fall victim to being used to cause any breach of peace.”

Drones to be used during the protest – Bayelsa CP

Also, the Bayelsa State Police Command outlined measures to handle the protest.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Mohammed, told our correspondents on Friday that the Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu,  directed all divisional police officers, tactical and drone units to be on alert during the protest.

Also, the Delta State Police Command said it was ready to handle the August protest in the state. The command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, stated this in an interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Sonubi Ayodele, on Thursday, assured protesters of maximum security as long as the protest is peaceful.

The Osun State Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, on her part, said adequate security measures had been put in place across the state to guarantee maximum security for law-abiding residents.

Police, NSCDC beef up security in Kwara

The Kwara State Police Command and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have equally put their personnel on red alert.

The spokesperson for the police in the state, Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, said the command had put in place adequate measures to prevent any breakdown of law and order in the state before, during, and after the August date of the planned protest.

“The command has put its personnel on red alert over the planned August 1 protest. We have emplaced watertight measures to forestall a recurrence of the #EndSARS riotous protest in any part of Kwara State,” she said.

We’ll be involved when police are overwhelmed – Military

The Defence Headquarters said it was monitoring the situation around the proposed nationwide protest.

In response to an inquiry from our correspondent on Friday, the Director of Defence Operations, Major General Edward Buba, stated that the military would only become involved if the police were overwhelmed.

He said, “The military is in situational awareness mode, monitoring events related to the planned protest. According to the constitution, we will only get involved when invited due to the police being overwhelmed.”

Consider dialogue, CAN begs

Meanwhile, ahead of the #EndBadGovernance protests scheduled to commence on the 1st of August 2024, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria has urged Nigerians to consider alternative means of expressing their grievances to the government.

This was contained in a statement signed by the CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, who asked the protest groups to rather use the period to explore legal avenues, to avoid a hijack of the protests by hoodlums, adding that dialogue, town hall meetings, and petitions were viable means that could yield positive results.

“Dialogue, petitions, and town hall meetings are viable options that can yield positive results without the risk of disorder,” he said.

Tompolo begs youths to shelve protest

The Chairman of the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), has appealed to those behind the planned August 1 to 10, 2024 nationwide protest to shelve the idea in the interest of the country.

Tompolo, who is the Ibe-Ebidouwei of the Ijaw Nation, said though there was hunger and hardship in the land, the President and his team were not sleeping over the concerns of the people.

Tompolo’s appeal, which was contained in a statement he signed on Friday, follows similar concerns expressed by the National Security Adviser, governors, top traditional rulers and others in the days leading to the protest.

He said, “I am aware of Mr President’s efforts to get things right in the country, and truly, things are getting better. For instance, there has been a great improvement in the oil and gas sector in the last one year, which is still the mainstay of our economy.”

SANs warn against brutality

Sharing their views on the nationwide protest, a senior lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, stated that Nigerians were divided because of the palpable suffering in the land which a protest would no doubt exacerbate.

“Many wonder about the following: How long will it last? What will be the means to support it through? Who are those behind it? Are they politicians or the common beleaguered masses? Will the Federal Government ignore the wailing voices of the people and act viciously like William Ruto of Kenya, a step that backfired and which still haunts him to date?” he queried.

Quoting from Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, the legal luminary said every Nigerian citizen had the right to peaceful assembly and association. He also said Section 41(1) gave every citizen the right to freedom of movement.

Another senior lawyer, Awa Kalu, SAN, said there were enough sections in the law that allowed for protest. “Nobody can stop a protest. The Nigerian Constitution is not against protest, peaceful protest. That is the right to assembly. It is normal for people to be divided about an issue. Those speaking against the protest are only doing political management.

“That’s what I see. It does not reflect the facts of life or what the people are going through. Any part of Nigeria that feels dissatisfied with the way things are going, even if it is a single individual, has the right to embark on a protest.”

Another senior lawyer, Kunle Adegoke, SAN, said he did not see anything wrong with anyone protesting. However, he warned protesters to be wary of saboteurs.

He said, “Whatever protest anybody is going to engage in, they need to endeavour to make it completely peaceful without destroying any public property.”

Shun protest, Kebbi urges youths

Meanwhile, the Kebbi State Government has appealed to the youth, civil servants, and other concerned citizens in the state to shun the planned nationwide protest in the interest of peace, unity, and progress of Nigeria.

Addressing a press conference in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, the state Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Safiyanu Garba-Bena, observed that the planned protest would hinder the dividends of democracy being enjoyed across the state.

According to him, participating in the protest will not reflect well on the state, considering the developmental projects embarked upon by the state government under the current administration.

Meanwhile, a former director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor, has said the “provocative” statements credited to aides and associates of President Bola Tinubu are not helping to calm the tension in the country ahead of the planned nationwide protest.

Afenifere calls for caution

Also lending its voice, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Thursday, appealed to Nigerians to be cautious regarding the protests.

Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, stated that while people had an inalienable right to protest, consideration should be given to the general atmosphere surrounding the planned protest.

Dialogue, not protest, Sultan begs

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam under the leadership of Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Friday, appealed to protest conveners, stakeholders, and the Federal Government to engage in dialogue before the situation escalates.

The Muslim organisation acknowledged that Nigerians faced difficult challenges but noted that protests might not be the solution.

The JNI is led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, who is also the spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims.

The Sultan of Sokoto implored Nigerians to be introspective and honest, acknowledging that discontent and disillusionment needed to be addressed by the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government.

Meanwhile, a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has revealed that participants in the planned nationwide protest would receive free legal representation if arrested in Lagos State.

Additional reports: Olufemi Adediran, Animasahun Salman, Collins Agwam, Deborah Musa, Nathaniel Shaibu, Tunde Oyekola, Bola Bamigbola, Matthew Ochei,  Daniel Ayantoye, Samuel Ese, Bankole Taiwo, Ademola Adegbite, Abiodun Nejo, Matthew Ochei, Godwin Isenyo, and Tolulope Fasuan