Protest organisers reject IGP’s call for confined demonstration, insist on street marches
The organisers of the planned #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests, scheduled for August, have rejected a proposal from Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to confine their demonstrations to specific locations.
During a meeting on Tuesday, the IGP suggested that confined protests would be safer than street rallies.
“It is not advisable to go on street processions because as you are planning a protest, some are planning violence,” the IGP advised.
Despite this advice, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), a lawyer for the Take It Back Movement, one of the organising groups, rejected the IGP’s proposal.
Other notable attendees of the virtual meeting included human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), various lawyers, civil society organisations, and key figures of the planned protests.
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The protests, aimed at highlighting economic hardships, are gaining momentum on social media and are set to occur across all states of the Federation and the nation’s capital, Abuja.
The economic crisis, driven by the government’s removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of forex windows, has led to soaring prices of food and basic commodities, worsening inflation, and widespread discontent.
Security agencies, including the police, military, and the Department of State Services, have warned against protests akin to those in Kenya.
Politicians, concerned about the potential for the rallies to escalate into unrest similar to the EndSARS demonstrations of October 2020, have appealed to the youth to reconsider. However, the young organisers remain determined to proceed with their plans.
Adegboruwa, on behalf of the protesters, had previously written to the IGP on 26th July 2024, requesting police protection for the demonstrators.
The IGP, in his response letter dated July 29, 2024, directed senior police officers to attend to the request of the senior lawyer.
Egbetokun subsequently requested to meet with Adegboruwa in Abuja on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, “to deliberate further” on his request.
However, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria opted for a virtual meeting with the police boss, enlisting Falana, members of the NBA and others to attend the meeting.
Adegboruwa highlighted some of the points of convergence for the protests as Eagle Square, Abuja; Alausa Park, Lagos; Akpakpava Lane, Benin City; School of Agric, Bauchi; Rosewale Filling Station, Iwo Road, Ibadan; Maiduguri Roundabout, opposite State Stadium, Damaturu, Yobe State; Rainbow Roundabout and Pantani Stadium, River and Freedom Park, Osogbo.
Proofreading and editing by Fa’izatu Aliyu Doma, Journalist at Neptune Prime.
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